Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Telephones, Broadband and Mobiles => Topic started by: Scunner on May 20, 2012, 10:49:35 AM
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I wonder if anyone has any ideas about this situation. I have an unlocked iPhone (3GS) and initially I was with O2 and then moved over to Vodafone so I know it isn't locked. I am nearly sure I have used it in Turkey with Turkcell too but can't be entirely sure as I have had other iPhones previously.
I bought a Turkcell sim last month and got "no service" showing. I was told by the shop that it was because the phone was locked - which I instantly took to be them talking rubbish because I have had o2 & Vodafone sims in it. They then took the sim out and put it in the nearest phone to hand and it worked fine. In the end, I borrowed an old Nokia and it did indeed work fine.
Anyone have any idea why my phone is unlocked but couldn't use a Turkcell sim? I am a little baffled [8)]
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Did you have roaming switched off?
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Is it because you were previously run out of Turkey and they're blocking your calls ? ;)
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Is it registered for use in Turkey? If you used it before here they may have blocked it. Other than that "red cabbage no idea". x
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Yep I have had exactly the same problem with my Galaxy sII. I know the phone is unlocked, as I bought it that way. It is, as Merecury has observed, to do with the phone being registered. You can get away with it once, but when you return on your next trip you find the problem you described. I heard that in the Turkcell shop they can get the phone registered, which is what I am hoping to do when I go over in June, so I'm a little concerned that the Turkcell shop people did not offer this to you when you was in there Scunner.
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My Galaxy S2 also had the identical problem. I bought it in the UK & it was unlocked for me, I tried all 4 major UK suppliers sim cards with no problem but when I went to Avea in Fethiye is had the no service message. Baris registered it to my name & address & after a short wait for their system to update itself it worked perfectly for the 6 months I was there. Upon return to the UK it works as before on T Mobile with no problems.
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I had my 3g iphone there 2 yrs ago, was unlocked and it worked fine even gave it to one of our friends to use in between the time we were out of the country. however last year it wouldn't work took it to the vodafone shop and they said it would not ever work as it had been used before unregistered and was now blocked.
Works OK anywere else though
Ron
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I agree I had a phone blocked in turkey but it worked fine with a uk sim card
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OK I have the process to solve this problem, and it is expensive in terms of money and time, but it does work as I can now atest, and in my case means I can properly use an expensive UK (unlocked) phone in Turkey. I will not put you off by telling you the false starts, the number of visits to Turkcell I made, or the grief along the way, or indeed the number of people and departments, and stairs I climbed up and down at the tax office - I'm getting bad flashbacks already - but simply provide you with the necessary steps you need to take.
Step One
Go to the tax office take your passport and the UK phone you want to use in Turkey with a turkish sim (this should work for all mobile companies not just Turkcell). Go to the pay office on the ground floor, join the Q, when you get to the front of the Q point to your phone say something like 'use in Turkey please' handover the phone and passport . The man will take your details including the number of the phone itself - no not the telephone number - but the one inside the phone by the bar code under the battery. You might want to practice how to get access inside the phone to this number/bar code. Once all details are entered in the computer by our tax office operative, you will be passed over to his colleague who will take 100TL for the service and give you a printed off receipt from his trusty dot matrix printer.
Step Two
Take the receipt to your mobile company's shop - suggest one of the larger shops where someone will know what to do - again give them your passport (they will need to photocopy main page plus the current visa with date of entry) and the phone. After the photocopying of all the documents and entry of your details into the Turkcell system, you will be asked to pay 10TL. Well at least that is what Turkcell charged. I was then told it would take 2-3 days but then I should put my SIM into the phone and it will work. Well I waited the 2-3 days, done as instructed and it worked. This is a new process instigated by the government and perhaps you may not need to wait 2-3 days, but I did. All I had to do then was to add a data package (1 month 4GB in my case) to my PAYG Turkcell SIM and my Galaxy S11 runs like a dream for both voice calls and data use.
Top Tip
I think I am right in saying that you can only do this once every three years, so don't look to upgrade your phone for use in Turkey anytime before then cos it won't be accepted if you make the application before the three years is up. Might be easier next time to buy an unlocked phone in Turkey, and take that back to the UK for use with your UK SIM... :o
Hope this helps, I'm going to lie down now with a wet flannel on my head and try to drive out the flashbacks. ;D
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Great informative post - hope the flashbacks clear up soon :)
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That was the exact same procedure we used last Friday to register our new phone....and.......problem yok!
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Very informative UBT but I would suggest that after all the hassle and shelling out 110TL you would not rush back anytime soon to repeat the process for another phone.
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You aint too far wrong Bewva. Next time I'll think about buying the handset 'unlocked' in Turkey, and the higher Turkish price for mobiles being balanced off against the 110TL and my sanity : :)
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To save taking the battery out of your phone, typing this code *#06# into your handset will give you the phones IMEI number .
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Fran thanks for that top tip, I've been working in telecoms for 40 years - pre mobile phones even - and I didn't know that.
Still learning something new everyday :)
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I just tried that and it works thanks for that.
:) ;)
My Phone worked fine in December and April while in Calis, do you think that this time it will be blocked and it hasnt been registered at all to work in Turkey, but as long as it has roaming set up it will be fine.
I am hoping to be able to pop the sim into a dongle as well when we get there to get the internet on my laptop to, as it works well here.
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Me thinks will stick with my 3310!!! ??? : :)
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Nothing wrong with the 3310, best thing my mum understands how to use it, well sort off
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My mum has a 3310 too (and understands it, sort of) :D
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Just resurrecting this topic as someone may be able to help -
A bit of a saga but basically, I want to be able to buy internet access to use for the few weeks we are in Calis. I like to sit on the terrace at night and catch up on emails/facebook etc as using free wi-fi when we are out can be a bit anti-social with my head stuck in my iPad!
I get completely baffled by the regulations and also am not 'techy' in any way when it comes to phones/internet access etc.
First attempt in 2011 was to buy a mini-sim for my iPad whilst in Fethiye - cost a few bob but worked a treat for the 2 weeks we were there in June. Went through all the passport and contract stuff and was very pleased. The guy in the shop was very helpful (Baris) but I didn't really know what I was doing or understand the legalities.
On return in September it was of course switched off as it hadn't been renewed/topped up within the time frame. Apparently a big problem as it was now recognised as not being 'turkish' so a mini sim was not going to work in this iPad any more - great!
Next attempt was to buy a data sim and use my mobile to tether to the iPad - yes very good, it worked but not cheap and had to go through all the passport/contract stuff again.
Back we come in June last year and again, not been topped up in time so had to buy another data sim. This is getting expensive for 3 weeks a year internet !
On returning in September last year my mobile was now blocked in Turkey 'cos it's not Turkish……….
Somehow the shop managed to unblock it (without me visiting the tax office) which cost me again and I got a new sim, for which I have no idea of the number etc as it worked for data only - I didn't know how to top up for calls.
I just know when we come back in June, as I haven't used it/topped it up, it will not work even though the imei thingy is no longer blocked so, my big question -
How do I buy temporary internet access for my phone that will be reasonable cost for 2 weeks then again in Sept for another week, without it being switched off in-between visits whilst we are at home in UK?
If anyone can tell me (in the simplest of terms - no techy stuff!) what to buy or ask for without all the contract stuff, I would be very grateful.
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Does anybody no how much we would pay for a samsung S2 in Turkey?
Thanks
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Bluewise I am not sure there is a way if you use a UK phone I have a Turkish phone and a Turkish dongle for laptop and when I am not in turkey I give the phone to someone to keep the SIM active.
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Thanks Graham - looks like I will have to keep buying a new pay as you go each visit if that's possible for data - unless I find a volunteer to use/top up for me.
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The Galaxy s2 can be purchased for 1100 Lira in Teknosa. Kipa was selling the S3 for 1200Lira
WW
.
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Getting back to the original problem - is it the case that a phone can be used first time but if you come back next year it will be blocked? I have numerous old phones that haven't had the pleasure of a trip to Turkey so I could use a new one each time?
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Hoarder. ;)
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Father ;)
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A blocked phone in Turkey till work normally in the UK.
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Yes thanks Paul that is a very interesting fact. My question was will an unlocked phone from the UK work in Turkey :D
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Yes I believe it will, however if you do not register the phone it will be blocked by the Turkish phone people shortly after starting to use it. :D
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Ok thanks. My line of thought is that I was offered a crappy Nokia last time when my iphone was blocked out there and it was around £40 I think. I'd rather get a £9 one from Tesco or something similar and bin it when I get home :)
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I had a UK phone blocked after about 10 days if I recall correctly. So you may be lucky if you are not there long that it may not be blocked. I don't know what the criteria is for being blocked, time connected, call time, certain time of month etc. I ended up buying a £40 Nokia in Turkey (you could get for about £15 in UK) because I couldn't be bothered with the hassle.
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This is all relatively new to me because my phone from when we lived in Turkey was registered. I don't understand how this works for holiday makers - do they get their phones blocked after a while?
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The phone will not be blocked if they leave their UK Sim in but of course then it is expensive to use. I keep my UK phone charged up and make the odd text but keep voicemail switched off and don't answer any calls because that would take my credit.
Bought a cheap Samsung, had it registered and use it whilst in Turkey. As long as you top up within 270 days you don't lose the number.
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This is all relatively new to me because my phone from when we lived in Turkey was registered. I don't understand how this works for holiday makers - do they get their phones blocked after a while?
Correct Scunner. A UK registered phone with Turkish sim will be blocked to Turkish networks after a while. 10 days in my case.
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The phone will not be blocked if they leave their UK Sim in but of course then it is expensive to use. I keep my UK phone charged up and make the odd text but keep voicemail switched off and don't answer any calls because that would take my credit.
Bought a cheap Samsung, had it registered and use it whilst in Turkey. As long as you top up within 270 days you don't lose the number.
If you don't top up Marggie (which I can't) can you just buy a new pay as you go data sim each time for the period of your holiday? I seem to recall something about only being allowed one mob number ?
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i went to Avea today and was told that the tax is now 150tl and has to be registered within the first 30 days of the last date stamp of entry on your passport.
In otherwords after setting foot on turkish soil, you have 30 days max in which to register your phone
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If you don't top up Marggie (which I can't) can you just buy a new pay as you go data sim each time for the period of your holiday? I seem to recall something about only being allowed one mob number ?
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Hi Bluwise, honest answer, I don't know. On your turkcell phone next time you are in turkey text *111# this will activate international roaming then when you are back in the UK your phone will work enabling you to top up. Don't forget to turn voicemail off so you are not charged for incoming advertising calls.
Alternatively, below is a link for topping up online. Hope this helps.
http://www.turkeycentral.com/topic/3687-keep-turkcell-current-while-out-of-turkey/
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Thanks for the info - much appreciated :)