Turkey officially launched 5G technology on Tuesday in what President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said will mark the beginning of a new era not only in communications but in all other industries, Sabah Daily writes.

Commercial 5G services are scheduled to begin as of Wednesday and are expected to cover the whole country within about two years, according to officials.

Speaking at a launching ceremony, Erdoğan said the next-generation services would strengthen Turkey's competitiveness, improve productivity in communications, technology, energy and manufacturing and reinforce the country's digital independence.

He said it would open a new chapter across transportation, health care, agriculture, manufacturing, the economy and education.

The technology is expected to enable users to experience significantly higher speeds and lower latency across all forms of internet use, supporting wider adoption of advanced digital services.

Erdoğan said sovereignty in today's world is no longer limited to geography and physical borders, arguing that technological capability, cybersecurity and control over data have become central to national strength.

"In today's data age, political stability, economic independence, military deterrence and digital sovereignty are inseparable," he said.

He argued that countries seeking influence and credibility in an increasingly competitive global environment must invest in cyber technologies, cybersecurity measures and digital infrastructure.

Erdoğan said the collection, processing and protection of data now play a critical role in national security, particularly amid recent conflicts in places such as Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

"The wars and conflicts occurring in our immediate vicinity, particularly in Lebanon, Gaza and Iran recently, have once again demonstrated the importance of cybersecurity," he noted.

"If you want to be strong, deterrent, and respected on the global stage, you must accelerate your efforts in cyberspace and take the necessary cybersecurity measures."

The president said 5G should be viewed not only as a communications technology but also as part of a broader digital sovereignty and national security strategy that includes data centers, cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity capacity.

"If you can protect your borders and airspace but cannot protect your cyber homeland and the data that is an inseparable part of it, then you have a serious weakness in your sovereignty," Erdoğan said.

He said the government has spent the last 23 years building the foundations for this transition through investments in digital infrastructure and cybersecurity.

Turkey's fiber optic network has expanded from 81.000 kilometers in 2002 to 657.000 kilometers (408,240 miles) as of the third quarter of 2025, Erdoğan said.

During the same period, the number of broadband subscribers rose from 3.000 to 98 million, while mobile phone subscribers increased from 23 million to nearly 100 million.

Erdoğan said more than 55 million people in Turkey currently use secure internet services, while total monthly voice traffic through mobile and fixed-line networks has reached 82 billion minutes.

Turkey ranks first in Europe with an average monthly mobile usage time of 494 minutes, he added.

The 5G will be rolled out in all 81 provincial centers initially before becoming available across the country within two years, said Erdoğan.

The president also highlighted the work of the Cybersecurity Directorate, established last year to protect communications systems, critical infrastructure and national networks from cyber threats.