Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum

Information and Services in Turkey Section => Telephones, Broadband and Mobiles => Topic started by: pixiecat on July 08, 2012, 20:13:13 PM

Title: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: pixiecat on July 08, 2012, 20:13:13 PM
Hi
I have an old Vodafone phone that I was thinking of bringing with me on holiday and wondered whether it was possible to get pay as you go Vodafone SIM cards in Calis or Fethiye.  The other thing I was hoping to get is a Pay as You Go data card to use an i-pad in Turkey.  Can anyone help with places and prices please?

Thanks
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: bewva on July 08, 2012, 20:55:26 PM
Pixie, there are loads of places to buy your sims from, from supermarkets to phone shops. You will need to register your phone otherwise it gets locked.
I registered one in a Turkcell shop about 5 years ago and it still got locked. I'm not sure of the procedure now but someone will reply with the answer soon.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Eric on July 08, 2012, 21:45:04 PM
1st you have to go to the tax office and pay 100TL tax on it.  Then you go to a Turkcell or Vodaphone shop with your tax reciept and your passport showing your entry stamp in it.  They then register it and you buy a sim card for it.....simples   ;)  Good luck! 
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: loz on July 08, 2012, 22:16:03 PM
100TL!!!! this used to be 5TL in a Turkcel shop.  I have just read this on the consulate website and there is no mention of 100TL.  I have a Turkish phone but a new UK phone that I was planning on registering.


http://www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/other_services.asp?PageID=12 (http://www.turkishconsulate.org.uk/en/other_services.asp?PageID=12)
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: tonysue on July 08, 2012, 23:03:10 PM
Your phone needs to be unlocked. The turkcell shop will register the phone to your passport and you buy a new sim card and some credit, it costs 5 lira.  the data I cant help with sorry.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Eric on July 09, 2012, 15:30:52 PM
It is not 5TL, it is 100TL and you have to pay it at the tax office.  We just registered a new phone on Friday.  The tax amount changed a few weeks ago.
Title: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: lizdev on July 09, 2012, 18:13:16 PM
I registered my IPad in May with Turkcell and it cost 10 lira.  The cost of the sim card was 19 lira and I chose to go with 1 gb data for a month which was 29 lira.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Eric on July 09, 2012, 18:47:16 PM
I did it on FRIDAY, it was 100TL paid at the Tax Office.  Did not make it up, was told by Turkcell that was NOW the regulations.  Went to the tax office....yes that is correct.  They took a record of the IMEI number and we paid the 100TL!  Took receipt back to Turkcell shop and then carried on with registering it!  May was a few weeks back, this is now July and this is the current position.
Title: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: lizdev on July 09, 2012, 21:41:11 PM
Thank goodness I did it in May, seems like it saved me 90 lira !
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: tonysue on July 10, 2012, 12:10:19 PM
I am absolutely shocked :o. It seems that the Turkish government it trying all ends up to screw every last kurus out of the tourist. A 100 lira tax is far too much. The saying goose and golden egg comes to mind. 
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Eric on July 10, 2012, 21:08:48 PM
Its the same for a Turk!  Its to stop phone trafficking as mobile phones are a lot cheaper in the UK.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: pixiecat on July 10, 2012, 21:42:58 PM
Thanks for all the responses.  Not sure I'll go or the Turkish sim option if it is 100 Lira! It will probably be a bit cheaper to access mail occasionally on my uk sim nd buy a drink somewhere and try and use one wifi. 
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: pixiecat on July 10, 2012, 21:44:54 PM
I should ask then, are there a few places around in Calis where you can buy a drink and use wifi??
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: tonysue on July 11, 2012, 11:13:14 AM
There is wi-fi at most of the bars on the front and on the high street,
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: tonysue on July 11, 2012, 11:20:42 AM
Its the same for a Turk!  Its to stop phone trafficking as mobile phones are a lot cheaper in the UK.
Appologies Eric. I am somewhat disallusioned with some of the decisions the Turkish government have made of late that make staying/visiting  Turkey more difficult. But thats another subject entirely.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: mercury on July 12, 2012, 08:52:52 AM
We were told that it was only for Turkish citizens and that it was 7TL at the vodaphone shop but we were given the wrong info again obviously.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Eric on July 13, 2012, 10:53:36 AM
Yep!  ;)
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: DANKY on July 13, 2012, 11:55:18 AM
about a few years ago i bought  a  turkish Nokia plain and simple phone for 30tl with a pay as u go Turkcell sim, it still works fine all i want is to make and receive calls when im out there just have to make a top up within 6 months and it does not get cut off, i get my turkish neighbour to put 10tl on it  during the winter ..
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: hotlips on July 14, 2012, 10:27:32 AM
Yesterday I went to unlock a uk phone and was told that it will cost 100lira. Turkcell also told me that their cheapest phone was 129 lira, I only need a basic one, so this is likely to be my best option now.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: janmack on July 14, 2012, 22:40:13 PM
Thanks for that info Eric.  We were going to ask Phil's daughter to bring out 2 phones for us but won't bother now.  ;)
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: Firo on July 16, 2012, 10:59:57 AM
I suppose it's depends on what type of phone you want.....If you want a Samsung Galaxy S3 or Iphone then the difference in price UK/Turkey is enormous.
Price difference for Galaxy was £484 in UK v 1999tl, about £730, in Turkey.
100tl/£35 to register with tax office equals a saving of over £200....Simples...
If you want a basic phone by it in Turkey.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: loz on July 16, 2012, 11:58:26 AM
My phone only cost £3.69, it calls it text end of. I don't think I will bother with 100TL.,  I will stick with the our 8year old Turkish phone, maybe treat it to a new battery.
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: LoubyLou on July 24, 2012, 05:40:33 AM
For info - I registered my phone on 13/6 - 10 YTL, a few days later I went back into to the phone shop and he told me it had just changed to 100YTL - so it changed shortly after 13/6.....
Title: Re: Pay as You Go SIM for calls and data
Post by: legless on July 24, 2012, 07:52:27 AM
Its cheaper to buy a turkish phone and sim card and get it topped up every 6 months

Ron