Turk Telekom’s “technology tigers” of Argela, Innova, Sebit and Sobee are not only developing technologies for Turkey, but the wider world as well. The companies, which have recently improved their business ties with Middle Eastern companies, are now targeting Europe.

Argela vice president Selim Sarper said the WebTV product Tivibu, which was developed in terms of its infrastructure by Argela and launched in the market by TTNET, took advantage of a lack of competition in the market.

According to figures provided by Sarper, Tivibu has acquired almost 300,000 subscribers while prime time usage totaled nearly 25,000 subscribers. Sarper also said mobile phone and operating systems had continued progressing with products like Wirofon and Videofon, again dZZveloped by Argela and marketed by TTNET, which has made it possible to watch Tivibu on mobile phones since the last quarter of 2009.

Argela is one of the top five to 10 companies to apply for “femto” technology, according to new standards. The company will launch new products using this technology, Sarper said, adding that it has been contacted by European and American operators, which asked for further information and prices.

“We have installations in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Moldova, Georgia and India. We started promotion activities in South America a few months ago, and we recently made many contacts in the Middle East. We definitely will obtain a firm ground in the region before the end of the year,” Sarper said.

Sebit Vice President İlker Helvacı, meanwhile, said the firm is continuously updating Vitamin, the company’s online education software, adding that it would start giving live supplementary class services in virtual classrooms to some schools as of September. Helvacı also said the company soon would announce an education portal aiming at adults.

“The Arabic version of Vitamin will be launched in the Saudi Arabian market after Ramadan, and we continue talks with Egypt Telecom and Etisalat,” Helvacı said. “We are also in contact with two operators in Malaysia and Europe, in addition to our current meetings with 18 operators in Latin America about a Spanish version of Vitamin.”

 http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/n.php?n=turk-telekom-exports-technology-to-the-world-2010-07-21