Regulations, Funding, and the Turkish Internet

Nur ZINCIR <nur.zincir@ege.edu.tr>
Ege University
Turkey

Abstract

In general, the Internet has followed similar evolutionary steps in every country where it has been introduced. In some countries, these steps have happened in very quick succession, in others, there are discrete intervals of some years accross each step. Each phase adds a degree of increased sophistication to the infrastructure within the country concerned. These progress in the development of Internet services are therefore, meshed with the development of the national communications infrastructure as much as they are concerned with the evolution of the Internet infrastructure.

These phases can be summarized as follows: introducing the Internet with the enthusiasts, establishing Internet for the national academic and research organizations, moving the commercial Internet and making bussiness on the Internet.

In this study, the networking activities of Turkey are described in the light of these evolutionary steps. Some common problems of the organization and funding, which most of the developing countries are facing today, are also discussed along with the solutions experienced in Turkey.

Turkey has gained significant experince over the last eleven years. The last five years of this period represents an extentionto include provision of Internet services. During this period, experince is gained on the establishment of the backbone, management of the net and building up the necessary services, regulations and information content in Turkish. Furthermore, finding or creating different ways for funding and management. It is possible that some of this experince may prove of assistance to similar cases in other developing countries.