Turkcell, Beko, and Ericsson have successfully concluded the EU-supported VERGE project, marking a major milestone in next-generation communication technologies in Türkiye. For the first time, R&D teams located 300 km apart in Istanbul and Eskişehir collaborated in real-time on industrial product design using an eXtended Reality (XR) environment powered by 5G.
At the project launch workshop, participants experienced a live demo where 5G connectivity enabled simultaneous 3D product design via XR glasses between Beko’s R&D Center in Eskişehir and Turkcell Kartal Plaza in Istanbul. This breakthrough remote collaboration eliminated geographic barriers, enhanced design efficiency, and accelerated product development processes.
The VERGE project aimed to strengthen Türkiye’s digital production and R&D ecosystem by leveraging 5G’s high speeds, low latency, and wide connection capacity. Network slicing on the 5G Radio Access Network (RAN) allowed optimized resource allocation with AI-driven autonomous management, further boosting performance and security. Large-scale 3D models were integrated instantly into product lifecycle management (PLM) software, enabling efficient and interactive industrial design across locations.
Speakers at the event included Turkcell’s Chief Network Technologies Officer Prof. Dr. Vehbi Çağrı Güngör, Beko’s Executive Director of Information Technologies Yekta Caymaz, Ericsson Türkiye’s General Manager Mehmet Oğul, and VERGE Project Coordinator Prof. Dr. Oriol Sallent. The workshop also featured EU project referees and specialists from Turkcell and Ericsson’s TÜBİTAK-supported R&D labs.
The collaboration aligns with Türkiye’s 12th National Development Plan, prioritizing digital transformation for sustainable and inclusive growth. Turkcell, leading the initiative with EU support, aims to enhance advanced competencies in next-generation networks and edge computing, positioning Türkiye as a key player in international R&D innovation.
Yekta Caymaz emphasized that the VERGE project enables real-time collaboration across cities and globally, accelerating design and improving product quality through XR technologies. Mehmet Oğul reaffirmed Ericsson’s commitment to supporting Türkiye’s digital transformation journey by advancing communication technology innovation and sustainability.
