Turkcell CEO Ciliv bets on broadband to grow operations
Posted by meb at February 14th, 2007
Turkey’s largest wireless telecommunications firm Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri AŞ is “evaluating opportunities” to build its own broadband fixed-line network as part of its efforts to continue developing its business in Turkey, Chief Executive Süreyya Ciliv said Monday.
At present, former state-owned monopoly Türk Telekom is the only telecoms company that has a countrywide fixed-line network in Turkey. Broadband fixed-line networks, in addition to carrying phone calls, can also be used for high-speed Internet access and TV broadcasting services.
In addition, Turkcell, Turkey’s largest mobile phone operator with 31.8 million subscribers and a 60% market share, will also participate in the auction for third-generation wireless network licenses due later in 2007, Ciliv said.
“I definitely see broadband – wireless and fixed-line – as an important part of communications in the future,” Ciliv said. “Convergence, which offers more value with better integrated (fixed-line and wireless) solutions, is also a very exciting opportunity.”
The CEO started on Jan. 9 at Turkcell. He came from U.S. software giant Microsoft Corp. where he had been working for a decade, with his latest position being general manager of Microsoft’s Worldwide Field Readiness Strategy & Systems.
To explain his move, Ciliv held up a smart phone, saying: “I really believe in this device.” A smart phone combines a cellphone and functionality’s from a personal computer, such as e-mail and high-speed Internet access. “Also, I’m from Turkey, and it was nice to go home.”
While exploring options to expand its domestic operations, Turkcell will also continue to look for opportunities to expand its geographic reach, the CEO said.
At present, Turkcell has businesses in Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Moldavia, Northern Cyprus and Ukraine.
Regions of interest for further expansion are the Commonwealth of Independent States – the former Soviet Union countries – and Eastern Europe, Ciliv said. He stressed, though, that he will be “very conservative” when it comes to picking acquisition targets, because he doesn’t want to overpay.
The 48-year-old CEO said that the $3 billion credit line Turkcell recently got approval for can help fund its expansion plans.
“I think my job is to lead Turkcell through its third phase,” Ciliv said. “The first phase was building the infrastructure. The second phase was finding out how we got to the masses. And now we have entered the third phase: focusing on customer segments.”
source: The New Anatolian
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