Introduction
Turkey has rapidly embraced cellular LPWAN technologies like Narrowband IoT (NB-IoT) and LTE-M (Cat-M1) as part of its nationwide IoT infrastructure. All major mobile operators have rolled out NB-IoT across the country, providing deep coverage even in rural and indoor areas.
This widespread network readiness has driven a growing adoption rate of IoT solutions in sectors from smart cities to agriculture. The Turkish IoT market is on a strong growth trajectory – forecasts predict the IoT industry in Turkey could reach roughly $7.5 billion by 2025, with annual growth exceeding 20% as businesses and government invest in connectivity for digital transformation. Robust nationwide coverage and government initiatives (like Turkey’s National Smart Cities plan) have positioned Turkey as an emerging leader in IoT readiness in the region.
Ensuring Reliable IoT Connectivity via Partnerships
One key to Turkey’s IoT success is international partnerships that ensure devices stay connected across networks. Global IoT connectivity providers such as Caburn Telecom work behind the scenes to enable reliable coverage through roaming agreements and local SIM profiles. For example, Caburn Telecom offers multi-network IoT SIM cards that can roam onto Turkish operators’ NB-IoT/LTE-M networks with predictable costs.
These providers leverage long-standing roaming deals and even eUICC/eSIM technology to remain compliant with Turkey’s regulations. (Notably, Turkey imposes a permanent roaming ban – devices cannot stay on a foreign SIM for more than 90 days). To overcome this, companies like Caburn provision local IMSI profiles on their SIMs specifically for Turkey, ensuring devices use native connectivity while still being managed globally. This approach via local partnerships and roaming agreements guarantees that IoT deployments in Turkey have uninterrupted coverage, high reliability, and compliance with local laws.
Leading Turkish Network Operators Offering NB-IoT/LTE-M
Turkey’s top mobile network operators have been at the forefront of NB-IoT and LTE-M deployment. The leading local providers and their achievements include:
- Turkcell: Turkey’s largest mobile operator, Turkcell, pioneered NB-IoT and LTE-M. It successfully deployed NB-IoT (Cat-NB1) and LTE-M nationwide in August 2017 using its 800 MHz band (Band 20). Turkcell upgraded all its relevant base stations to support NB-IoT, and its NB-IoT network has been in commercial use for smart city applications since 2017.
Turkcell upgraded all its relevant base stations to support NB-IoT, and its NB-IoT network has been in commercial use for smart city applications since 2017. It was also among the first globally to launch LTE-M in its network, enabling mobile low-power use cases. Turkcell’s IoT network now supports use cases from smart meters and city sensors to agricultural monitoring, boasting >97% population coverage on NB-IoT. - Vodafone Turkey: Vodafone has leveraged its global IoT experience to expand LPWAN in Turkey. It introduced NB-IoT across all 81 provinces of Turkey, claiming to be the first operator with NB-IoT coverage nationwide. Since 2017, Vodafone’s NB-IoT network has connected utilities (smart meters), environmental sensors, and smart agriculture projects. As part of Vodafone’s global IoT portfolio, Vodafone Turkey offers enterprise IoT services with NB-IoT connectivity and private network options. (Vodafone’s focus in Turkey has been NB-IoT; it is gradually complementing this with LTE-M in select areas as demand grows.)
- Türk Telekom: The incumbent telecom provider, Türk Telekom, has also embraced NB-IoT as a pillar of its IoT offerings. Türk Telekom was actually the first in Turkey to trial NB-IoT, conducting network tests with Nokia in 2016.
In the following years, Türk Telekom integrated NB-IoT into its 4.5G network (using its 800 MHz spectrum) to support smart city and industrial IoT projects. Today, Türk Telekom provides NB-IoT connectivity for applications like smart agriculture and environmental monitoring via its nationwide LTE infrastructure. While Türk Telekom’s NB-IoT rollout was slightly later than its rivals, it continues to expand coverage and is reportedly exploring LTE-M as part of its 5G-era IoT strategy.
Each of these operators, Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom, are key players driving IoT connectivity in Turkey, offering nationwide NB-IoT service and collectively ensuring comprehensive coverage.
International IoT Providers and Roaming in Turkey
Beyond the local carriers, many international IoT connectivity providers operate in Turkey to support global deployments. These include specialized IoT MVNOs and roaming platforms that provide global SIM cards that work on Turkish networks:
- Global IoT MVNOs (1NCE, Hologram, Onomondo): These providers supply multi-network IoT SIMs that can connect to local Turkish networks (Turkcell, Vodafone, etc.) for NB-IoT, LTE-M, 4G, and even 2G fallback. The advantage is a single SIM, and the contract can cover Turkey and dozens of other countries, simplifying logistics for device manufacturers. They often allow non-steered access to multiple networks, which can maximize coverage in Turkey’s varied geography. Pros: One-stop global coverage, multi-network redundancy, and often cost-effective plans for low-data IoT usage. Cons: They must navigate Turkey’s strict roaming rules – by default, a foreign SIM may get blocked after ~ 90 days on Turkish soil. Providers address this by partnering with local operators or using eSIM technology to download a Turkish profile when needed. Without such measures, permanent roaming bans can jeopardize connectivity. Additionally, using international SIMs may introduce slightly higher latency (if data routes to a foreign core) and reliance on roaming agreements.
- Mobile Operator Global IoT Services (Vodafone Global IoT, Deutsche Telekom IoT (T-IoT), BICS, Transatel): These are IoT connectivity solutions offered by large operator groups or wholesalers, which include Turkey in their coverage. For instance, Vodafone’s global IoT SIM can operate on Vodafone Turkey’s network as a local home network (since Vodafone is present in Turkey), offering seamless NB-IoT service. Deutsche Telekom’s IoT service can partner with Türk Telekom or others to provide local-breakout connectivity in Turkey. BICS (a global carrier) has partnered to extend NB-IoT coverage into markets like Turkey via local operators.
NB-IoT & LTE-M vs. Sigfox/LoRa in the Turkish IoT Landscape
- NB-IoT (Narrowband IoT): NB-IoT operates in licensed spectrum (800 MHz in Turkey) and is optimized for coverage and power efficiency. It offers deep indoor penetration and long battery life, making it ideal for stationary, low-data applications like smart meters. Turkey’s major operators—Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom—offer nationwide coverage via existing LTE infrastructure. While it lacks mobility and has lower data rates, NB-IoT is highly reliable and seen as a core technology for massive IoT, with future-proofing via 5G integration.
- LTE-M (LTE Cat-M1): Also running on licensed LTE spectrum, LTE-M offers higher bandwidth and supports mobility, handovers, and even voice (VoLTE). It’s suited for real-time or mobile use cases like fleet tracking and wearables. Turkcell was the first to deploy LTE-M in Turkey, with coverage expanding. Though it consumes more power than NB-IoT, it remains efficient and complements NB-IoT by enabling broader use cases.
- Sigfox (0G Network): Sigfox, now introduced in Turkey by Una-IoT, is a low-cost, ultra-low-power option using unlicensed spectrum. It supports very small messages and is suitable for basic tracking or alerting applications. However, its limited data capacity, high latency, and constrained downlink reduce its suitability for more complex or time-sensitive tasks. Coverage depends on Una-IoT’s growing network footprint.
- LoRaWAN: LoRaWAN in Turkey is mainly used in private or pilot deployments, lacking a nationwide operator. It allows custom, low-power networks but requires dedicated gateways and can face interference. Best for localized applications (buildings or factories), LoRaWAN is a flexible but fragmented option, complementary rather than competitive with NB-IoT/LTE-M for large-scale national deployments.
Advantages of NB-IoT/LTE-M over Sigfox/LoRa in Turkey:
The cellular LPWAN options benefit from licensed spectrum (no interference), established nationwide infrastructure, two-way communication, and integration into standard cellular and 5G ecosystems. NB-IoT and LTE-M networks in Turkey are managed by mobile operators with SLAs, security (SIM-based authentication), and the ability to handle thousands of devices per cell. By contrast, Sigfox/LoRa offer lower cost per device and simplicity, but at the cost of capacity, reliability, and coverage gaps. Given Turkey’s emphasis on reliable smart city and critical IoT deployments, NB-IoT and LTE-M have become the go-to choice for large-scale projects, while Sigfox and LoRaWAN serve niche roles where ultra-low data or private networking is a priority.
Takeaways
Turkey is a regional leader in NB-IoT and LTE-M, with nationwide coverage from all major operators. This strong infrastructure, combined with a rapidly growing IoT market, supports scalable deployments across sectors like energy, agriculture, and smart cities. NB-IoT offers deep coverage and long battery life, while LTE-M enables mobility and real-time data. Many devices now support both, switching networks as needed for efficiency. Multi-network and eSIM capabilities ensure continuous connectivity and extended battery life, even in remote areas. With a robust operator ecosystem and global partnerships, Turkey is well-positioned for massive IoT expansion, delivering reliable, future-proof connectivity for diverse use cases.
