MEASURES TAKEN TO ENSURE THE UNINTERRUPTED OPERATION OF ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATION AND POSTAL SERVICES DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Due to the measures taken during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) threat process that the world and our country are facing, and the changes observed in social life, the continuity of electronic communication and postal services has gained even more importance.

Our institution continues to take necessary measures in collaboration with operators operating in these sectors, postal service providers, and all relevant stakeholders to ensure that services are provided to citizens without interruption during the epidemic period.

In this context, the following measures have been taken to ensure the effective provision of electronic communication services:

Measures to be taken by operators regarding business continuity, personnel redundancy, secure remote working, traffic increases due to changes in social life, customer services, and dealers have been determined.
The list of personnel who need to travel intercity in compulsory cases for the uninterrupted operation of electronic communication services by operators has been shared with our Ministry of Interior and the 81 provincial governorships, and the necessary facilitation has been ensured for the travel of said personnel and vehicles.
Operators have been informed about the measures they need to take before going to duty in terms of service continuity.

In addition, taking into account the requests of the operators by our Institution,

A decision has been made that certain physical reports that operators are required to send in accordance with the authorization legislation during the Covid-19 epidemic process can be sent electronically during this period.
It has been decided to meet the RL frequency requests in the 7-13-80 GHz band needed by operators to meet their increasing capacity needs, provided that the minimum required information is provided.
Necessary coordination has been provided with relevant institutions to facilitate base station licenses and installations for the uninterrupted continuation of mobile communication services.
Operators have been instructed on measures to be taken, including working from home, to ensure that call center services are not adversely affected by this process.
Operators have been notified on providing discounted services to their subscribers, flexibility and ease for subscribers in line restrictions, closures, execution follow-ups, and invoice payment conditions.
Taking into account the effects of sending printed invoices on paper on the epidemic, a decision has been made to enable invoices to be sent via e-mail and SMS during this period.
To reduce physical contact during the epidemic process, operators have been enabled to accept subscription applications through their own websites, and subscriptions can also be made by the consumer signing the relevant contract and then having it collected from home via mail and delivered to the operator.
Considering the necessity of displaying the subscription contract in the online transaction center within 3 months after signing, this period has been extended to 4 months.
The period required to deliver the subscription contract from the dealer to the operator's archive within 2 months after signing has been extended to 3 months.

The National Cyber Incident Response Center (USOM), in coordination with cyber incident response teams (SOME) exceeding 1300, continues to combat elements threatening cybersecurity, including malware on the Covid-19-Coronavirus topic, on a 7/24 basis.

USOM has determined secure remote working rules and sent them to all stakeholders through social media channels as well as the SOME Communication Platform.
Warnings have been issued via social media to raise awareness and ensure necessary measures against phishing attacks using Covid-19-Coronavirus.

COVID-19 epidemic process, the following measures have also been taken for the effective provision of postal services.

The list of personnel who need to travel intercity in compulsory cases for the uninterrupted operation of postal services has been obtained from service providers and sent to relevant institutions.
Service providers have been instructed to keep sufficient human resources ready and provide personnel redundancies to ensure the uninterrupted execution of postal services of public service nature.
Service providers have been notified that they need to check the health status of their employees within the framework of the measures recommended by the Ministry of Health.
Arrangements have been implemented to allow a maximum of three persons at a time in branches/agents or as many customers as the number of employees providing the relevant services, provided that the necessary distance between customers and employees is maintained.
Taking into account the recommendations of the Ministry of Health; during this period, for the delivery of shipments ordered from e-commerce sites, contactless delivery methods (such as door front, mailbox) have been implemented without taking signatures and TC Identity Numbers, without victimizing the user.
Necessary notifications have been made to service providers to prioritize the delivery of hygiene products and medical materials that are needed within the framework of measures taken or to be taken by relevant institutions and whose transportation is enabled by Law.

Respectfully announced to the public.

In this context, the following measures have been taken to ensure the effective provision of electronic communication services:

Measures to be taken by operators regarding business continuity, personnel redundancy, secure remote working, traffic increases due to changes in social life, customer services, and dealers have been determined.
The list of personnel who need to travel intercity in compulsory cases for the uninterrupted operation of electronic communication services by operators has been shared with our Ministry of Interior and the 81 provincial governorships, and the necessary facilitation has been ensured for the travel of said personnel and vehicles.
Operators have been informed about the measures they need to take before going to duty in terms of service continuity.

In addition, taking into account the requests of the operators by our Institution,

A decision has been made that certain physical reports that operators are required to send in accordance with the authorization legislation during the Covid-19 epidemic process can be sent electronically during this period.
It has been decided to meet the RL frequency requests in the 7-13-80 GHz band needed by operators to meet their increasing capacity needs, provided that the minimum required information is provided.
Necessary coordination has been provided with relevant institutions to facilitate base station licenses and installations for the uninterrupted continuation of mobile communication services.
Operators have been instructed on measures to be taken, including working from home, to ensure that call center services are not adversely affected by this process.
Operators have been notified on providing discounted services to their subscribers, flexibility and ease for subscribers in line restrictions, closures, execution follow-ups, and invoice payment conditions.
Taking into account the effects of sending printed invoices on paper on the epidemic, a decision has been made to enable invoices to be sent via e-mail and SMS during this period.
To reduce physical contact during the epidemic process, operators have been enabled to accept subscription applications through their own websites, and subscriptions can also be made by the consumer signing the relevant contract and then having it collected from home via mail and delivered to the operator.
Considering the necessity of displaying the subscription contract in the online transaction center within 3 months after signing, this period has been extended to 4 months.
The period required to deliver the subscription contract from the dealer to the operator's archive within 2 months after signing has been extended to 3 months.

USOM has determined secure remote working rules and sent them to all stakeholders through social media channels as well as the SOME Communication Platform.
Warnings have been issued via social media to raise awareness and ensure necessary measures against phishing attacks using Covid-19-Coronavirus.

COVID-19 epidemic process, the following measures have also been taken for the effective provision of postal services.

The list of personnel who need to travel intercity in compulsory cases for the uninterrupted operation of postal services has been obtained from service providers and sent to relevant institutions.
Service providers have been instructed to keep sufficient human resources ready and provide personnel redundancies to ensure the uninterrupted execution of postal services of public service nature.
Service providers have been notified that they need to check the health status of their employees within the framework of the measures recommended by the Ministry of Health.
Arrangements have been implemented to allow a maximum of three persons at a time in branches/agents or as many customers as the number of employees providing the relevant services, provided that the necessary distance between customers and employees is maintained.
Taking into account the recommendations of the Ministry of Health; during this period, for the delivery of shipments ordered from e-commerce sites, contactless delivery methods (such as door front, mailbox) have been implemented without taking signatures and TC Identity Numbers, without victimizing the user.
Necessary notifications have been made to service providers to prioritize the delivery of hygiene products and medical materials that are needed within the framework of measures taken or to be taken by relevant institutions and whose transportation is enabled by Law.

Respectfully announced to the public.