Turkcell has entered into a landmark partnership with Google Cloud to develop hyperscale data centers in Türkiye, a move set to redefine the country’s digital infrastructure and position it as a regional technology hub.
Under the agreement, Türkiye will become Google Cloud’s 43rd global region, enabling businesses, public institutions and startups to access advanced cloud computing and artificial intelligence services through a fully compliant “Sovereign Cloud” infrastructure aligned with national regulations.
The data centers will be built in Ankara, with construction scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2026 and full operational capacity targeted for 2028. Designed as a unified three-site cloud region, the facilities will operate as synchronized but independent centers to ensure high availability, resilience and continuity of service.
Turkcell Chief Executive Officer Ali Taha Koç said the investment would ensure that all locally generated data remains stored and processed within Türkiye.
“This investment allows us to say clearly that Türkiye’s data will stay in Türkiye,” Koç said. “At the same time, everything available in Google Cloud’s other 42 regions will exist here in exactly the same way.”
The project follows nearly two years of negotiations and is being described by both companies as a cornerstone of Türkiye’s digital transformation. It is expected to contribute approximately $5 billion annually to the national economy by improving productivity and enabling innovation across sectors including finance, public administration, heavy industry and the startup ecosystem.
Koç noted that while Turkcell already operates the country’s largest data center capacity at 50 megawatts, partnering with a global cloud provider was essential to reach international scale and standards.
A key feature of the initiative is its sovereign cloud architecture, which ensures that data is encrypted, distributed across three locations and controlled entirely by customers. This model enables government bodies and regulated industries to adopt cloud technologies while meeting strict security and compliance requirements.
Lower latency resulting from domestic hosting will also improve service performance nationwide, while reducing dependence on overseas infrastructure.
For startups and entrepreneurs, the pay-as-you-use model is expected to lower entry barriers by eliminating the need for heavy upfront investments in IT infrastructure.
“Instead of building for one million users when you only have ten thousand, companies will pay only for what they use,” Koç said.
Looking ahead, Koç emphasized that hyperscale data centers will become critical as data volumes surge with the rollout of 5G, the future development of 6G, smart cities and machine-to-machine communication.
He added that Turkcell is expanding renewable energy investments to support the project sustainably. The company currently operates an 18-megawatt wind power plant in Izmir and has commissioned 63 megawatts of solar capacity as part of a 210-megawatt solar portfolio.
Turkcell plans to invest around $240 million in renewable energy and aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.
“As Türkiye’s Turkcell, we will continue to use our sun and wind,” Koç said. “When these data centers become operational, we intend to power them with renewable energy and move steadily toward our net-zero goal.”
Source: Anadolu Agency
