Businessman)
and Telecommunication Authority celebrated the World Telecommunication Day
through the "2nd National Telecommunication Arrangements Symposium"
which they collectively organised in Pera Palas. "Telecommunication Day"
which is celebrated on the foundation day of the Union of International Telecommunication
is being celebrated in all member countries in order to emphasise the importance
of communication possibilities.President of Telecommunication Authority, Mr. Fatih Yurdal said that " Telecommunication Authority has become active on the date of August 15, 2000" and indicated all the things that they have realised since that day and continued his words by expressing that " we will present for competition the existing last two fields of activity of Turkish Telecom which will mean liberal working of the sector". Mr. Yurdal who has expressed that while ITU was meaning to say the solution of the "digital divide" problem it has emphasised the bridging of the divide that is present between a developed and under-developed country and between the regions of a country stated that " What ITU envisages is a full liberalisation. With Law nr. 4502 Turkey will pass to a full liberalisation by the end of 2003. We are performing the preparations according to this date. We will present for competition the existing last two fields of activity of Turkish Telecom which will mean liberal working of the sector. This sector shall operate together with all its components which are the Ministers, Telecom Institution, Turkish Telecom, related departments, private sector, service companies, universities and users. System shall be produced by all components. Telecom law shall be morally or materially supported. For this reason we have formed a fund. However, the fund is at court. It has many procedures. The main objective of the fund is to bring together the four components. To take everybody's ideas during the construction of the telecommunication law and on regulation. We want to make arrangements that will be accepted by everybody and there will be no objections." He said that the first application which they have realised for this purpose was experienced during the submittal of the telecommunication licenses and they have tried to determine the license fees in a form which, while being paid easily by everybody, will not be a cheap distribution of the governmental opportunities. He emphasised that they have established a good working system in licenses and have submitted licenses nearly to 30 ISS and this is an important application. Studies regarding the interconnection will be finalised within a very short period of time and the relevant tariff studies are still continuing and the regulations are being structured. President of the Telecommunication Authority, Mr. Yurdal continued to his speech as follows; " on the subject of roaming we could not issue a decision yet. We are following it for the last 1.5 months. This is a subject on which we have been unsuccessful till now. In the following days we will disclose its reasons to public opinion. The Monitor Project is about to be finalised. It could not be completed because of a receiver producing company. It could not deliver the product that it has to. In this way, we will be able to determine all the prohibited broadcastings. RTUK law is issued. Formerly, frequency-planning subject was the duty of General Management of Wireless (TGM). Now it is the Telecommunication Authority's duty. We have already initiated the relevant studies. We will perform the radio and TV planning. Work plan of the Telecommunication Authority is printed in the form of a book. Investors are asking for this. We will follow everything so that their performance will be timely. And finally, we will publish the 2001 report as a book nowadays".
He mentioned that "Telecommunication Authority has not completed even its second year yet and therefore it is too early for critiques. Telecommunication Authority of England has initiated its services nine years after it was established. However, German Telecommunication Authority has started its services immediately after it was established because all the relevant studies were completed within the related Ministry before the establishment. What we expect from the sector is to work together and tolerance. We can not fulfil some of the things quickly. But we realise the things that we are able to do very swiftly. Assist us".
Minister of Transportation, Mr. Oktay Vural emphasised the importance of Telecom activities on the countries. He said that they are trying to make Turkish Telecom an institution that determines price by making cost analysis. "Telecommunication sector is an exciting sector. Turkey's hope does not fit into these salons. Turkey's future is in this sector. Expressing its problems through its union is a reference. Privatisation is not an objective, it is a means for the development of competition. During the privatisation stage of Turkish Telecom, the institution shall be managed effectively. We are working for the purpose of obtaining a structure that determines its costs and makes right pricing for the services it presents.
Undersecretariat
of Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Munir Kutluata stated that as being the Ministry
of Transportation they are following the problems of the sector and they have
taken important steps in the solution methods. "these steps may certainly
be insufficient before the swift developing sector. However, since we have bureaucrats
in our Ministry who has served for years in the transportation sector, I believe
that we will overcome these by time. We listened your problems and we know the
methods of their solutions".General Manager of SuperOnline, Mr. Savas Unsal who participated as a speaker in the panel titled "Problems that may be Incurred in Providing a Full Competition Environment in the Telecommunication Sector and Solution Suggestions" said that there are lacks for the development of the internet sector and its access. He continued to his words and stated that " Today, number of cable subscribers are around 9000. This figure is very low. Rules of access from satellite shall be determined. Subject that is between TTtnet and ISS's and has reflected to the Committee of Competition shall be resolved in special courts." General Manager of Aycell, Mr. Fahrettin Aydın said that "the development of the network shall be incited and costs shall be reduced. There are four companies that perform the operation of GSM 2000. It is necessary to incite the development of the network. Tax burden is too heavy. Also share of Treasury shall not be charged. Monopoly of private companies shall be prevented. Interconnection shall be divided and distributed equally." Deputy General Manager of Aria-Is-Tim, Ms. Gaye Bumin emphasised that the competition in the telecommunication sector shall be beneficial for the consumers. She said " there is delay in the National Roaming. Also, general regulatory decisions are being taken with delay. Important duties lie within the responsibility of the Committee of Competition." Mr. Enver Ipek who is the Vice-Presiident of Telsim Executive Committee mentioned that "definition of competition shall be a process in which companies of product and service market can freely decide among themselves and monopolies are preventing this. Regulations of the Telecommunication Authority are inadequate. Most urgent of them were the National Roaming Regulations. Tariff Regulations is also urgent. Taxing of the mobile lines on luxury basis and the stationary lines on normal is unjust." General Manager of Turkcell, Mr. Muzaffer Akpınar who participated in the panel stated that "the sector is new but the institutions are old therefore we are experiencing difficulty in adaptation. Competition in the sector is lacking. GSM sector is an example. Competition is lacking. Rules regarding the National Roaming and tax rates shall be determined." The last speaker of the panel was the General Manager of Telecom, Mr. Ibrahim Hakkı Alpturk said that " for the formation of competition everybody shall help each other. Let us say that we want to compete with our friends in the sector. This is a big wrong and makes us hurtful and destructive. Nobody can breathe. Be sure that we do not want to do such a thing and we are not doing." Vice-President of the Telecommunication Authority Dr. Mustafa Alkan who has conducted the panel said that "criticisms pertaining Telecommunication Authority are too early. Both the sector and the public shall give time for the Telecommunication Authority. As an institution we were successful in the works that we have performed until today and there are many more to be performed. Telecommunication Authority is a guarantee both for the formation of a healthy competition in the sector and the liberalisation of the sector.