In a significant move at MWC26 in Barcelona, Mavenir, a software company specializing in AI-by-design mobile networks, and Turkcell, Türkiye's leading telecommunications and technology firm, have announced a strategic partnership. The companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to accelerate the deployment of AI-enabled voice and messaging applications, marking a pivotal step in telecom innovation.
Accelerating AI-Powered Services
The collaboration focuses on supporting Turkcell's strategic direction to introduce AI-powered services that simplify customers' daily lives and enhance their overall experience. By leveraging Mavenir's cloud-native IMS architecture, the partnership aims to develop and roll out advanced new services, bringing fresh value to traditional voice and messaging capabilities.
Embedding Intelligence into Mobile Core
Mavenir's approach involves embedding AI directly into the mobile core, enabling Turkcell to accelerate continuous innovation. This integration is expected to deliver advanced customer experiences, ensure carrier-grade quality, and advance Turkcell's evolution toward AI-native communications. The collaboration will create innovative AI-based value-added services designed for flexible packaging, tiering, and enhanced customer engagement.
Executive Insights
Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör, Chief Technology Officer of Turkcell, emphasized the company's commitment to network innovation. "At Turkcell, we continuously explore how network innovation can translate into high-quality customer experiences and operational efficiency," he stated. "This partnership with Mavenir, adopting their AI-by-design approach and cloud-native expertise, will accelerate our delivery of cutting-edge technology."
Brandon Larson, Mavenir's SVP & General Manager, Cloud, AI & IMS Business Strategy, highlighted the practical benefits of AI. "There is real power in AI when it's delivered with a clear focus on solving a problem and adding real customer value," he explained. "Turkcell has specific objectives it is seeking to reach, not least of which is the power to introduce exciting new services. AI redefines the economics of traditional voice and messaging capabilities, and this partnership will bring that to life."
Industry Shift Toward AI-Native Networks
This partnership reflects a broader industry trend toward AI-native network capabilities, where intelligence is embedded directly into core services rather than delivered through over-the-top applications. For operators, this shift opens doors to premium AI voice and messaging services, AI-powered customer care enablement, and tiered consumer AI subscriptions.
From Telco to TechCo Evolution
AI is central to the evolution from traditional telecommunications companies (Telcos) to technology companies (TechCos). By harnessing existing assets like IMS and cloud-native core networks, operators can create differentiated, revenue-generating AI services. This transformation leverages deep telco domain expertise combined with cloud and IT skills to solve real customer challenges.
Company Backgrounds
Turkcell is a technology and telecommunications company headquartered in Türkiye, offering a unique portfolio of voice, data, and IPTV services over its mobile and fixed networks. The Turkcell Group operates in three countries: Türkiye, Belarus, and Northern Cyprus. Listed on both the NYSE and BIST since July 2000, Turkcell remains the only dual-listed company on these exchanges.
Mavenir is a leader in enabling intelligent, automated, programmable networks through telco-first, cloud-native, AI-by-design software solutions. With deployments at over 300 operators globally in more than 120 countries, Mavenir's solutions serve more than 50% of the world's subscribers. The company combines deep telco experience with cloud and IT expertise to drive the AI-native future and support operators' evolution to TechCos.
The announcement was made on March 04, 2026, at MWC26 in Barcelona, underscoring the global significance of this partnership in advancing AI-enabled network services.
