SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 or 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Report on Form 6-K dated July 17, 2003
____________________
TURKCELL ILETISIM HIZMETLERI A.S.
Turkcell Plaza
Mesrutiyet Caddesi No.153
80050 Tepebasi
Istanbul, Turkey
____________________
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will
file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F:
Form 20-F: |X| Form 40-F: |_|
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting
the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation
S-T Rule 101(b)(1):
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting
the Form 6-K in paper as permitted by Regulation
S-T Rule 101(b)(7):
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this form is also thereby
furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant to
Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes: |_| No: |X|
Enclosures: Press release dated July 17, 2003 - Turkcell Provides Update on
Dispute with Turk Telekom on Interconnection Fee Structure
[LOGO]
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
TURKCELL PROVIDES UPDATE ON DISPUTE WITH TURK TELEKOM ON
INTERCONNECTION FEE STRUCTURE
Istanbul, Turkey: July 17, 2003--Turkcell (NYSE:TKC, ISE: TCELL), the leading
provider of mobile communications services in Turkey, has today announced an
update on Turk Telekom's claims regarding the interconnection fee structure
contained in the Interconnection Agreement signed between Turkcell and Turk
Telekom on April 24, 1998.
Today the Ankara Seventh Commercial Court decided that Turk Telekom's decision
to offset against the amount of interconnect payments due to Turkcell its
receivables in accordance with its claim that interconnect revenues should be
shared equally, would be unlawful. The Court also decided that an injunction
preventing this offset would remain until a new agreement has been reached and
until then the terms of the above Interconnect Agreement would be in effect.
Background Information on the Dispute
In November 2000, Turk Telekom demanded that Turkcell share all interconnection
fees equally with Turk Telekom going forward and retroactively from April 1998.
This was the result of a successful lawsuit filed by the Turkish Electrical
Engineer's Society against Turk Telekom with the Ankara Ninth Administrative
Court in October 2000, which claimed that the interconnection fee regime set out
in the Interconnection Agreement between Turkcell and Turk Telekom violated
public policy. Although Turkcell was not a party to this lawsuit, the Ankara
Ninth Administrative Court annulled the interconnection fee structure set out in
the Interconnection Agreement between Turkcell and Turk Telekom. Turkcell
obtained an injunction from the Ankara Seventh Commercial Court with respect to
Turk Telekom's request until Turkcell reached an agreement with Turk Telekom to
replace the annulled interconnection fee structure.
On July 3th, 2003, Turkcell was informed by Turk Telekom that this injunction
was lifted and Turk Telekom will calculate the sharing of its interconnection
revenue with Turkcell on an equal basis. Accordingly, Turk Telekom informed
Turkcell on the same day that it would not make the monthly interconnection
payment for June 2003, of TL82 trillion (approx. US$58 million as of July 3,
2003) as it decided to offset this figure against the amount due to Turkcell its
receivables calculated according to its claim that interconnection revenues
should be shared equally. Today's decision by the Ankara Seventh Commercial
Court prevents Turk Telekom from any such offsets in the future.
www.turkcell.com.tr
About Turkcell
Turkcell is the leading GSM operator in Turkey with approximately 16.3 million
postpaid and prepaid customers as of Mar 31, 2003. Turkcell had revenues of US$
491.1 million as of Mar 31, 2003. Turkcell provides high-quality wireless
telephone services throughout Turkey and has coverage of 100% of the towns with
more than 10,000 inhabitants. At the end of 1999, Turkcell became the first GSM
operator in Turkey to be awarded the prestigious ISO 9001 certificate for the
quality of its service. Turkcell is the only NYSE listed company in Turkey.
For further information please contact:
Turkcell Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Investors: Europe
Koray Ozturkler, Investor Relations
Tel: +90 212 313 1500 Kate Delahunty/Oskar Yasar
Email: koray.ozturkler@turkcell.com.tr Tel: +44 20 7638 9571
Email: kate.delahunty@citigatedr.co.uk
Ferda Atabek, Investor Relations Oskar.yasar@citigatedr.co.uk
Tel: + 90 212 313 1275
Email: ferda.atabek@turkcell.com.tr United States
Victoria Hofstad
investor.relations@turkcell.com.tr Tel: +1 212 840 0008
Email: victoria.hofstad@citigatedr-ny.com
Media:
Zuhal Seker, Corporate Communications
Tel: + 90 212 313 2330
Email: zuhal.seker@turkcell.com.tr
Okan Karagoz, Corporate Communications
Tel: + 90 212 313 2314
Email: okan.karagoz@turkcell.com.tr
Internet: www.turkcell.com.tr
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
TURKCELL ILETISIM HIZMETLERI A.S.
Date: July 17, 2003 By: /s/ MUZAFFER AKPINAR
----------------------
Name: Muzaffer Akpinar
Title: Chief Executive Officer