ANKARA: Vodafone Türkiye has acquired 100 megahertz of spectrum in a government-run 5G auction Thursday, committing $627 million (€539 million) to bolster its next-generation mobile services.
The auction, conducted by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA), awarded Vodafone Türkiye 2 x 10 MHz in the 700 MHz band and 80 MHz in the 3.5 GHz band. The spectrum will be available starting April 2026, with commercial 5G services expected to launch later that year.
The licenses will remain valid until Dec. 31, 2042. Vodafone said payments will be phased over three fiscal years, with an initial installment of $209 million (€180 million) due in January 2026, followed by equal payments in December 2026 and May 2027.
The company also confirmed renewal terms for its existing spectrum holdings, which are set to expire in 2029. Under the new framework, all operators will pay an annual license fee equivalent to 5% of mobile service revenue to retain their current allocations beyond 2029.
Vodafone Türkiye’s post-auction spectrum portfolio includes:
- 700 MHz: 2 x 10 MHz (exp. 2042)
- 800 MHz: 2 x 10 MHz (exp. 2029)
- 900 MHz: 2 x 12.4 MHz (exp. 2029)
- 1800 MHz: 2 x 10 MHz (exp. 2029)
- 2100 MHz: 2 x 15+5 MHz (exp. 2029)
- 2600 MHz: 2 x 15+10 MHz (exp. 2029)
- 3.5 GHz: 80 MHz (exp. 2042)
Vodafone said the expanded spectrum will support Turkey’s digital transformation and enable high-speed, low-latency connectivity for consumers and businesses.