Mobile phone Simcards

[legless]

Get yourself a good Nokia 6210/6310 tri band phone you can pick them up cheap enuff try to get one that is unlocked, that is one that will work with any sim card, you usually find any nokia that has been used on vodafone is unlocked if you have any probs let me know I have contacts for phones and I can unlock most phones just from the serial no.

Ron

[Sinbad]

Messages re your phonecards in Turkish can be switched over to show the English version - in the shop they made a call and it was done.

[Lynn]

Just to let you all know if you have credits left and won't be using them for a while, you lose them, even if they show up that you have them left.  I topped mine up in September and when I went back at Christmas they didn't carry over.

I used to have a Nokia 3310 and that worked fine over in Calis with a Turkish SIM, they don't need to be triband as long as the phone is dualband, so I am told.

Farmer, I'm sure if you phones are only 5 years old they should be alright they're not that old, check with your service provider or where you bought it from as they should know.  Those people from the shop might only want you to buy a new snazzy phone from them!!!

[legless]

The reason I say triband is they are usually the top of the range in the series of phone and you can pick them up pretty cheap, + they will work anywere in the world

Ron

[lindacarl]

We just got our phone done i.e. ne Turkish Sim card. It cost us 35Million Lira for the sim card (with 100 units on) & then 15million to unlock it. You get a Turkish number & just swop the cards around when you get home (still to do so hope there are no problems).
Found the cost of calls to be very expensive - a 1min 50sec call to another mobile on same network (Turkcell) took 8 units off. A text cost us 5 units.
If you are thinking of leaving one there for your renters then it really isn't worth buying it in this country as we found the same phone as our new Siemens for the same price - when you add on the conversion.
Our old Sony (5 yrs old) could also be converted (some shops said no but we shopped around) but we decided against converting as thought the battery life might be coming to an end.
Linda

[Linda1953]

Does this mean that a Turkish Resident can text you for free from their mobile, but you get charged if you text them back from the UK - sorry I'm confused??




Linda

[valentine]

I got a Turkish sim card and got my phone unlocked plus 100 credits for 42mil TRL. Texts cost 3 units and i rang my daughter in England call lasting about 5 - 6 minutes and cost about 90 units. A top up card with 250 units cost 22million so I thought that wasn't too bad.
Val

[agazina]

When you get one of these hazir kart (pay as you go) sim cards just remember you have to top up at least once every 3 months or the line gets disconnected. also your sim will work in any phone as long as it is not locked. if it is locked then you will pay for an additional unlocking fee and sometimes they cant do this with the very new phones. Texts cost 2 units on turkcell but dont know for Uk as I never have a need to ring there. There are other providers but I would advise not to go with aycell as its very expensive to ring other networks. and most people have turkcell anyway.

[KKOB]

Linda, It works roughly like this

Text from Turkish phone to Turkish phone in Turkey Cost 2 units to sender

Text from Turkish phone to English phone in Turkey Cost 4 units to sender and 2 units to receiver

Text from English phone in England to Turkish phone in Turkey cost 4 units to sender and 2 units to receiver

Text from English phone in England to English phone in Turkey cost 4 units to sender and 4 units to reciever

The unit costs will vary depending on the service providers and the tariff but you get the idea.

This is why it's cheaper to have a Turkish SIM card in your phone when you are in Turkey and want to contact others in Turkey. It also explains why some Turks are reluctant to return calls / texts if you are still using an English number.

[Rimms]

I have been told that if you do not use your phone for a long period, over the winter for example, then you loose your number and have to buy a new sim card.

Is this true and any suggestions on how to get around the problem ?