Assc. Prof. Dr. Ömer Arasıl
President of the Institute of Telecommunications

Dear Readers,
Economic stagnation experienced in the world, the problems in the formation of companies, investment on capacity beyond demand and overdepting of companies in financing caused the telecommunications sector to live a hard year. The sector is experiencing a rapid consolidation process. Companies trying to benefit from economies of scale and of extent, and struggling to survive, turned towards the strategies of unification and taking over.
Consumer choices followed the same route while there is a rapid change in the sector technologically. It is now genarally accepted that just by using the pricing it is not possible to tie up the customer to the firm. The consumer is also considering the points like the the service quality, variety of services and reachability of services. Not only for attracting the consumer, but also to ensure the consumer continuity, managers have to make more efforts than before.
In our country also, telecommunications sector took his share from the crisis in the global arena.
However, there are also many opportunities in our telecommunications sector which is trying to overcome the crisis by its own dynamics. Primarily, our sector is quite dynamic and has a well trained labor force. Since our young population is quite willing to consume new technologies, markets liberalized recently will provide managers with new opportunities. The rising competition and the rate of penetration in the mobile sector shows that there is a place in the market for every manager who renders new services in competition conditions. Today we can say proudly that, Turkish managers became global players who render services in different countries.
Lastly, I want to attract your attention to a few points that should not be neglected while regulating the telecommunications sector in Turkey. In recent times, while changes not previously observed are experienced in the market conditions, it is important that the managers should control their investments very carefully. A precisely drawn regulating framework, will be helpful for the managers to plan which service to render and the new services they will render by observing the market. This situation will also give the investors the confidence needed in their investments. While the technology is changing, telecommunications market is also changing and, as a result, we see changes in the regulations. Being aware of this, our institution is making utmost efforts in the preparation of the regulations needed in the liberalization of the sector.
I wish that the year 2003, which will be quite an intensive one for our Institution, will be a fruitful year for the sector and our Country and I present the last issue of our journal this year for your information.

Respectfully yours,