Turkcell Launches "Gezenzi", One of the World's First Location-Based Web 2.0 Micro-Blogging Platforms

ISTANBUL, May 28, 2010 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Turkcell (NYSE:TKC, ISE:TCELL), the leading communications and technology company in Turkey, announced today that it has developed one of the world's first location-based Web 2.0 micro-blogging platforms. "Gezenzi", which roughly translates as "share traces of your life", launches today and is a permission-based service which enables members to use a Gezenzi map to exchange information about places they encounter in their daily lives and travels.

On a Gezenzi map, users share location information by keying in text, comments and even multi-media content (including images and - shortly - audio and video files). This information could be about restaurants, travel, beaches, the weather, sports, recommendations, etc, in any particular place in the world. Users can micro-blog information via SMS/MMS, mobile phones or the Web and can track the latest movements and comments of other Gezenzi subscribers. Uniquely, blog entries on Gezenzi will appear based on specific locations rather than on when they were posted.

Cenk Bayrakdar, Turkcell's Chief Product and Service Management Officer, noted that: "Turkcell is delighted to be launching this innovative new service. We have no doubt that it will be very well-received and become a much-used application for micro-bloggers both here in Turkey and on their travels worldwide. We would encourage people to visit the Gezenzi website and find out more. With around a dozen mobile services applications as of March 31st 2010, Turkcell continues to lead the way in the development of Turkish mobile technology. I would like to thank my Turkcell colleagues for their continued innovative thinking and cutting-edge work.''

By the end of 2010, Gezenzi is expected to also be available to users in English through some Turkcell subsidiaries such as life:) in Ukraine.

Membership is free and micro-blogging via SMS or MMS will be free of charge until August 2010. Membership can be activated via the Gezenzi website: http://www.gezenzi.com

About Turkcell

Turkcell is the leading communications and technology company in Turkey with 34.3 million postpaid and prepaid customers and a market share of approximately 56% as of March 31, 2010 (Source: Our estimations, operators' and Authority's announcements). Turkcell provides high quality data and voice services to approximately 70% of the Turkish population with its 3G and EDGE technology supported network. Turkcell reported TRY 2.2 billion ($ 1.5 billion) net revenue for the period ended March 31, 2010 and its total assets reached TRY 14.3 billion ($ 9.3 billion) as of March 31, 2010. Turkcell is the only Turkish operator among the global operators to have implemented HSDPA+ and has become one of the first operators in the world to reach to 42.2 Mbps speed with its 3G network, as of March 5th 2010. Turkcell is a leading regional player and has interests in international mobile operations in Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Northern Cyprus and Ukraine which, together with its Turkish operations, had approximately 62 million subscribers as of March 31, 2010. Turkcell has been listed on the NYSE and the ISE since July 2000 and is the only NYSE-listed company in Turkey and is among the top 15% of companies listed on NYSE by its size. 51.00% of Turkcell's share capital is held by Turkcell Holding, 0.05% by Cukurova Group, 13.07% by Sonera Holding, 2.32% by M.V. Group and 0.08% by others while the remaining 33.48% is free float. Read more at http://www.turkcell.com.tr/en

    For further information please contact Turkcell:
    Nihat Narin
    Investor and International Media Relations
    Tel: +90-212-313-1244
    Email: [email protected]
    [email protected]

    http://www.turkcell.com.tr

SOURCE Turkcell