Technology giant Ericsson opens research lab in Turkey

By Ugur Arslanhan

ISTANBUL

The world's leading information technologies company Ericcson opened a research laboratory in Istanbul on Tuesday for the development of global industry technologies within 10 years.

In cooperation with the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TUBITAK), Ericcson's laboratory aims to make Turkey a technology base.

Mehmet Fatih Kacir, deputy of Turkey's Industry and Technology Ministry, said in the opening ceremony that the country created its own policies to use its sources and develop abilities, rather than imitating other countries.

"Our main goal is to make Turkey a base of research and development and production," he added.

Kacir also said Ericcson already has research centers with 450 personnel in the country -- in Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Rafiah Ibrahim, Ericsson's senior vice president, said this was the company's 11th laboratory in the world.

Within the scope of the laboratory, scientists will develop technologies for requirements of 5G and Internet of Things (IoT), Ibrahim said.

"We have been in Turkey for 120 years, and we want to continue our investments in Turkey," she stressed.

The laboratory will have a huge potential, while 1.5 billion people will be using 5G by 2024, she added.