- The partnership will see Turkcell become both infrastructure provider and reseller for Google Cloud in Türkiye.
- The new cloud region supports Türkiye’s ambition to increase digital sovereignty and expand its cloud market.
What happened: Google Cloud joins forces with Turkcell for Türkiye cloud expansion
Turkcell, Türkiye’s leading technology and telecommunications provider, and Google Cloud announced a strategic partnership to establish a dedicated Google Cloud region in Türkiye. Under the agreement, Turkcell will build the infrastructure required for the Google Cloud region and act as a reseller of Google Cloud services across the Turkish market. Google Cloud’s CEO Thomas Kurian described the collaboration as a long-term investment to meet growing demand for cloud and AI services in the country. Turkcell CEO Ali Taha Koç stated that the new region will give customers in Türkiye access to high-performance, low-latency services while aligning with national data-sovereignty requirements. Research by IDC projects Türkiye’s public-cloud market will grow from $1.7 billion in 2024 to $4.2 billion by 2029, bolstering the case for the cloud-region investment.
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Why it’s important
The partnership reflects a broader trend in which global cloud providers team with local operators to deliver regional cloud infrastructure, thereby reducing latency, improving data-residency compliance and enhancing digital sovereignty. Türkiye’s aspiration to become a regional technology hub receives a significant boost as a result. For enterprises in Türkiye, on-shore cloud services mean less dependency on foreign data jurisdictions and improved access to advanced analytics, AI and digital-business tools. The collaboration also strengthens Turkcell’s role in the cloud ecosystem, transforming it from a connectivity provider into a full-stack cloud partner.
However, critical questions remain about execution—how quickly the region will launch, how local skills and energy supply will scale, and how much the investment will open access to smaller enterprises rather than favour large corporates. In the competition for European cloud leadership, this move positions Türkiye more prominently—but whether it results in broad-based digital empowerment or reinforces concentration of cloud power will depend on regulatory decisions, infrastructure build-out and service affordability. Avenida to watch: whether this region supports edge computing, IoT integration and sustainable-energy data-centres, all of which are key to modern cloud architectures.
