Individuals, institutions, and organizations conducting studies on 5G and beyond networks can benefit from the Ulak Test Network Infrastructures, which are located in the 5G Valley and host Ulak base stations, SDN/NFV-based network infrastructure, core network, and IMS application components.
The first 5G test signals in the 5G Valley were broadcast on November 8, and the test network infrastructures located in the valley were introduced at an event. One of the infrastructures to be made available for use by all parties wishing to conduct tests and trials in the 5G Valley Open Test Field is the Ulak Test Network Infrastructures. Those who wish to utilize the test network infrastructure must apply to the Authority.
With the 5G Valley Open Test Field (5GVATS) Project, an environment has been targeted to be created where universities, research centers, companies, and entrepreneurial technology firms in the region covering Hacettepe University Beytepe Campus in Ankara, Bilkent and METU campuses, and the BTK Main Building can test applications and technologies related to 5G and Beyond. The 5G Valley Open Test Field Cooperation Protocol was signed on August 15, 2017, by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority, Hacettepe University, İhsan Doğramacı Bilkent University, Middle East Technical University, Türk Telekomünikasyon A.Ş., Turkcell İletişim Hizmetleri A.Ş., and Vodafone Telekomünikasyon A.Ş. It is aimed to create a platform where all parties such as academics, researchers, PhD students, operators, manufacturers, and entrepreneurial technology firms conducting studies on 5G and beyond can benefit from 5G VATS, providing new R&D opportunities for all stakeholders in the electronic communications sector and enabling effective research and projects in the context of public-university-operator-industry collaborations.
In order for Turkey to be one of the leading countries in 5G and beyond technologies and to contribute to the development of these technologies domestically and nationally, five separate memoranda of understanding were signed on July 24, 2018, between the 5GVATS Protocol Parties and Spark Ölçüm Teknolojileri A.Ş., Ulak Haberleşme A.Ş., Netaş, i2i Bilişim Danışmanlık Teknoloji A.Ş., and Huawei Telekomünikasyon Dış Ticaret Ltd. Şti. to contribute to the establishment process of the 5GVATS test infrastructures.
Under the scope of the Ulak Test Network Infrastructures Installation Memorandum of Understanding in 5G VATS, it is envisaged to deploy a test network initially consisting of Ulak 4.5G base station and 4.5G core network functions, IMS Applications, and SDN/NFV system infrastructure including SDN controller in the 5G Valley. The test network will serve as a testing, verification, and trial infrastructure for all kinds of R&D and product development activities in the 5G and Beyond fields, and Ulak will also provide test and application engineering support for the studies to be conducted in the relevant test network infrastructure. The test network infrastructure provided by Ulak will be updated when Ulak develops the relevant system and software versions or when the equipment is ready. Explanations regarding the infrastructure, detailed information on infrastructure components and technical specifications are available in the Beneficiary Information Brochure, the link to which is at the end of the page, and it is considered that studies can be conducted in the Ulak Test Network Infrastructures in the following exemplary areas:
All parties wishing to conduct tests and trials in the Ulak Test Network Infrastructures and the 5G Valley Open Test Field Test Network Infrastructures must apply in writing to the Authority on behalf of the 5G Valley Executive Board using the Application Form and Commitment Letter, the links to which are provided below. Application owners will be able to benefit from the infrastructures according to the schedule to be determined following the evaluation by the 5G VATS Technical Working Group.
Authority Correspondence Address:
Information and Communication Technologies Authority
Technical Regulations Department
Eskişehir Road 10.Km No: 276 06530 Çankaya/Ankara