Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Telephones, Broadband and Mobiles => Topic started by: Keith on May 05, 2004, 10:38:08 AM
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Can anybody throw some light on getting a Turkish simcard for us to use while in Turkey. Info about where to buy one, how much do they cost, do they do "Pay As You Go" & anything else that may be of interest on that subject.
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Mine cost 34,000,000 and you have to buy credits on top of that,you will also have a new phone No. of course,
Tinx
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The 34mil for the card also gave me some credit which seemed to last more than the paltry fiver you might get in the UK if you are lucky.
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I bought Turkish sim for 34 mil inc 100 units. One text message = 3 units. 34 mil was about £14.00. I bought it in Fethiye opposite the mosque. The phone shops there check if your phone will take the sim and set it all up for you. When I needed more units, I took it back to them and they did everything for me. It is much cheaper for local calls, also if anyone calls you from the uk, your turkish phone doesn't get charged as is the case with your normal phone.
Christine
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Christine I am a technophobe when it comes to mobile phones so bear with me.
So if you change the sim card in Turkey your number is still the same and you can still be contacted from the UK with the new sim card in place on that number?
Thankss a lot.
McGroogle
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Hi McGroogle
I think I understand what you are saying - Yes if you buy a new sim card it gives you a new phone number for use in Turkey. Keep your UK card in a safe place. Within the settings on the phone you can select the source of your phone book. You use the numbers stored on the sim card or the names and numbers stored on the phones memory or you can also select both sources.
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We bought a Sim card last week whilst we were out there. Marc from "The meeting Point" took us into Fethiye and the guy in the phone shop did the rest. It cost about £14.00 and each top up was £4 for 100 units. Once the new sim was in my phone I simply sent a text message back home with the new number. Every time I needed to top up the phone I bought a card (from any shop) and got one of our Turkish friends to "top it up" (the message is in turkish lol). Now we are back in the UK the Turkish Sim card is safe and ready for use again next time we atre out there:D
Russ and Jan
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Seems like £14 well spent!
Got to be cheaper than using call boxes in the long run, and as you say it's all ready and waiting for the next time you visit.
Think we'll definately be doing the same.
Anne
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Also if you use the cheap no's that are displayed somewere on the forum it will only cost 15p per min for your nearest and dearest to phone you,
One more thing your phone must be unlocked to accept the turkish sim card.
Ron
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I have to thank you all for the good info regarding mobile 'phones and simcards on this site. Ta.
Pauline and I went to our local "Phoneshop" with most of the questions you have asked and we were advised simply to get new cards fitted when we eventually get over to Turkey. There followed mass confusion and a great deal of laughter when the staff eventually asked to see our 'phones. What on earth are those? they asked when we produced our perfectly serviceable 5 year old Philps Savvy sets - the Manager was called and said he had been in the business ever since he left school and had never seen one before!
We've been advised to throw them away and get new phones before we leave the UK for good. We don't want to take pictures or play games on them - any advice as to what actually works out in Calis would be much appreciated.
regards,
farmer
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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
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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.
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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!!!
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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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.
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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 ?
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that is very true George you must top up every 90 days just like your visa ( Ha Ha ) the best way is to have a good friend in Turkey to do it for you, if you are still using in-resort for your property management I am sure they will do it for you its in their interests as well for people renting your villa
Ron
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Cheers Ron, does that mean you have to buy top ups every 90 days or just use the phone in that period ?
I am sure in resort will sort it out, however, they now manage about 100 properties, most of which now have a mobile !!
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you have to top up once every 90 days!
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Thanks for all this info as I got a Turkish sim in August and will top it up in October - I'll have to bribe someone to keep it topped up over the winter as we're not back till May!
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Valentine,
Sounds like a unique business opportunity for me !! Mobile top up service !
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Walgravechippy.....the info you have given is interesting but it is very far off the mark....i receive texts from England every day & they do not take any units from me, or the other turkish people that i know.
Do you have a work permit!?
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quote:
Originally posted by KayaKoyuOldBoy
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.
What a load of rubbish
Crabbit
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Thanks for that Crabbit! You're obviously the expert You explain how it works then !
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that sounds about right to me walgrave chippy, my friends live out there and they say exactly the same as u did, and it always costs me to receive texts aswell.
Crabbit - you're a happy wee soul arent u!
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If your phone isn't chipped already the phone shops will do it here for you, for about 15 million and then you can insert any card.
We have a spare in the office on an old phone if any body is stuck they can borrow it for the week. We keep it for our customers to use.
Also if you are renting out a property over here it would be a good idea to leave an old phone with turkish sim card for your customers to use with important contact numbers on them ie. taxi's etc.
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I would also suggest to take your passport when you buy a Turkish sim card, having also just done it. Unless they didn't trust me LOL
Tel
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Most Nokia phones that have been on Vodafone are usually unlocked alreadyif not I have the coding to unlock most Nokias.
Ron
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They asked for my passport too Tel, must be a standard thing - dunno why!
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Maybe they just wanna have a laugh at the passport photo's.....LOL. I know mine doesn't look anything like me.
5-
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Never thought of that - you want to see mine (well you don't really!) I look like I've got two black eyes!:D:D
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Panda.....I mean VAL
I think they log details on computer like maybe a land line may require. So that possibly is why they like to see the passport.
Tel