Calis Beach and Fethiye Turkey Discussion Forum
Information and Services in Turkey Section => Telephones, Broadband and Mobiles => Topic started by: sue mac on May 02, 2015, 17:06:30 PM
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Recently used a friends Turkcell mifi when I was in Turkey. It worked with up to five devices, ipads, iphones and anything else that uses wifi. Does anybody know how much these cost, and what you have to top them up by each month? and what happens if you only use them for two months and then return to UK for six months....can you just buy another sim when you return and if so how much does that cost? Many thanks for any help.
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Ian is your man for this question but I'm sure he will correct me if I get it wrong. The Turkcell Vinn Wifi unit will cost you around 280 lira, this includes the SIM card. You can then buy data top ups, 5meg. 10meg. Etc. these stay active for as long as you have unused data up to a maximum of three months, after which time any unused data is lost. The 10 meg top up will cost you 79 lira and unless you are watching HD movies, it should see you through the three months period.
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We purchased the Vinn wifi device for 150 lira. The simm was extra, possibly up to 50 lira. 39 lira for 4 GB for a month. I think you are covered for 9 months. The turkcell shop checked that the simm from our Vinn dongle was still active, so that we could use it in the Vinn Wifi. If you have turkcell mobile, you can check your credit left on the simm. If you do buy it, make sure you switch devices off, when not using the Internet, as your credit could quickly dwindle.
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Hi - can't add a lot more other than to say - they regularly have a promotion on these units (like now) but to get the promotional price (125 tl) you have to go to one of the official Turkcell shops where the staff wear Turkcell uniforms as opposed to local agents.
I use the one near the Otogar (near Erasta) and there are a few others around in town. They sometimes still try to charge you 150 tl but you say internet'de kampanyalar - 125 lira - and then you should get that price - or print off this link:
http://www.turkcell.com.tr/cihazlar/vinn-ailesi/vinn-wifi-mf65m?place=device_category (http://www.turkcell.com.tr/cihazlar/vinn-ailesi/vinn-wifi-mf65m?place=device_category)
Also for longer stays I buy 10 GB for 79 tl which lasts for 3 months. I was initially told you had to top up every 6 months - but you can even pay 12 tl for a week. So when they give you the SIM - they pop it out of a plastic card which I always take to the local shop to top up to make sure he has the correct number - so leave that card with a friend and they can put 12 tl (there is a cheaper tariff for a day - think it might be 7 lira) on it after say 3 months and it keeps it "live" so your 6 months starts from this new date and your friend doesn't even have to have the MIFI unit to do that.
Finally I tested mine last week and even though we now have "Finet" which is satellite internet I decided to put a week on it as I want it as a "back up" for when we have power cuts or problems with "Finet". I tested the speed and it was running at 6 mb download and 2.5 mb upload which is faster than my "Finet" and I always thought it was faster than the original VINN dongle which is an added bonus for you.
Oh - I remember Loz said "these units would work with a 3 sim in the UK - so you can get a friend to top up your Turkish SIM whilst using the unit in the UK with your 3 payg SIM - useful if you only go back to the UK for a few months and don't want or cannot have a landline? ;)
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I have one of these and I have had the same sim for about 4 years (first used with a VINN dongle) and the longest it has been left un topped up is about 7 months.
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Ian- could you tell us more about the "Finet" system please? I have never heard of this. Is this similar to the "Tooway" satellite system?
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We have only had it for a month so early days. So far they are delivering what they promised - unlimited internet at speeds of 2 to 4 mb ( I am averaging 3.5 mb which is good enough to stream filmon ) - and you pay monthly but only whilst you are in Turkey. When in UK - don't pay and they turn off the signal and reactivate when you start paying again. See: www.finet.com.tr
No direct debits or contracts - no landline or cables - just a receiver about the size of a small milk pan on the roof cabled to your modem.
We have just "popped back to UK" so let it lapse and waiting to see if reactivation is problem free :-)
These networks - based on masts - are popping up all down the coast line. Marmaris.net seems to serve as far as Dalaman and has los of very happy users!
Finer are "supposedly" adding masts to their network as currently there are some areas in Fethiye (in the mountains mainly) where you cannot get it yet.
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ian where do you go to get finet
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I'm in the process of trying to get Finet.
Their office was along near 1 IM on the road into Fethiye.
We were advised that they had moved to the Karacula road and went in search on Friday but couldn't find it.
Rang various different numbers til someone answered and said they were closed but to call again Monday, which o will be doing very soon.
The best offer TTnet could give me was 71 TL for 2 year contract, so this has to be worth a try at 30tl and can't be any worse, or can it?
Will keep you posted.
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Puma - I got it when they were based near the original eren spot shop in town - it was almost like a kiosk on a street corner but I have been told you now go down the Gunlukbasi road to the main lights before the Otogar and turn left away from town and they are a few hundred yards down on the left hand side above a shop.
I lived in that area for a few years so know it well and will have a walk around.
They do seem low overhead but I know they have been around for more than a year so I am prepared to give them a go as the horror stories of TTNET made me stay clear of them.
If you are a prodigious streamer of films and TV or do a lot of uploading I feel it might not be the answer as speeds of 3 mb at have limitations but having said that we have watched the last few Britain's Got Talent without a problem and I listen to Radio 4 every morning - Match of the Day on Sunday mornings with lots of Skype calls and browsing by both of us - with few problems - so pleased so far ;)
Ps oh and on their web site it says it works in Uzumlu and Ciftlik but I believe they have not got masts in Ovacik / Olu Deniz yet.
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thanks ian
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They said they would come yesterday or today, didn't materialise yesterday, so I rang this morning and they should have been here 2 hours ago.
I've rung again, and was told they would contact our engineer and get him to call. That was an hour ago, and nothing...
I'm worried now that if we had it we would stand no chance of anyone coming if it went wrong.
Starting to feel quite annoyed now, no excuse not to call back and say when they're coming.
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Turned up at 8pm for the 3pm appointment.
We were out.
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Thanks everybody. the 125 lira sounds like a fab price for the dongle...! If anybody is near a Turkcell shop, can you find out what the cost of these are now please...thanks. :)))
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Tails77, how do I do the " If you have turkcell mobile, you can check your credit left on the simm " bit. I get texts to the mobile when I top up the internet, but don't know how to check how many gb left at any time. Thanks
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Hi Strange, I think it was *159#. You have to take the sim from your Mifi and place it in your phone and then tap in the code. You should then get a text to tell you your balance. It has been a while since it was last used, so not 100% sure of code and did not save it on my phone.
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That code is correct as of us topping up yesterday.
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To save taking the sim out, go to the mifi settings on your laptop or tablet, and you will see a message icon, click in that and send the following to 2222 KALAN it will then send a message back with your remaining credit.
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Thanks all
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thanks everyOne. Last question, my friend is out there for a week at present and may be able to pop down to turkcell for me. Is it the turkcell shop just ny Carrefour? And will she need my passport or any Id or anything to buy one? Many thanks.
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Think you only need to show your passport, if you are buying a simm card. If Carrefour near Otogar, there are a couple of Turkcell shops.
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Ian. Top advice again. Went into Turkcell shop next to Carrefore in Fethiye , showed a picture of you link with Internet price of 125TL. They agreed to match the price, was quoted 150TL so purchased unit for 125TL, plus SIM card 41TL, and 79TL for 10gb of data , 245TL in all. Really good service, set up my I pad whilst we waited to make sure all was fine. Also explained about topping up the SIM card. Let's see how we get on.
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Rayza - good to know - remember when I said 10 GB will last me 3 months that is how long you have to use it but on average if NO streaming then you can do 1 to 2 hours of surfing or e-mails per day but do your best to avoid videos even on Facebook (my wife has to watch every one of them but I rarely do!) but video uses about 1 GB per hour and as much as 3 GB per hour if HD.
Also contrary to popular opinion the unit can be left plugged in all the time as you only use bandwidth when you pick up your iPad and start surfing and this is much more convenient than waiting for the unit to fire up every day. Hope it does what you need it for ?
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So that I can keep up to date with the usage for my MiFi, how do I find out how much data I have used / left . Seen a previous post about MiFi setting,and a message box to type in a code, but can't seem to find this on my I pad. Probably not looking hard enough. Any advice much appreciated.
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I do not think you can find this info on the iPad, as I tried to do this. Think the instruction is for a laptop.
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From memory type into the web address bar (at the very top of any web page) 192.168.1.1 this will take you to the mifi control panel - then type admin for both user name and password. You will then get into the device settings. Do NOT change anything but look for statistics or something worded like that and you should able to see what you need - then just exit / log off to come out of the management device settings - I think :-)
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Just found this from a previous post that might be helpful:
Surprisingly listening to the radio is not that ,"thirsty" - unlike streaming video - I regularly listen to Talksport at weekends (on the same unit as you have purchased) and it doesn't seem to use that much and I always manage to make it last 3 months with lots of browsing as well !!
Ps Just checked it out and basically the BBC / Talksport radio options would be covered by this statement ( so maybe a "treat" :-)
If you stream an hours worth of internet per day for 30 days then you would have eaten up only 1.7 Gigabytes of data
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Thanks all for the advice. Back home now, so will continue with the Wifi when we return in August.
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Ian
Great info on internet streaming. I don't suppose your ready-reckoner can help with an idea of how much per day would be consumed by being logged into a UK desktop via VPN link. I have to do some work while I'm out in June and need to see whether I need to upgrade my wireless internet.
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A bit too difficult for me but I did find this on geekzone:
http://m.geekzone.co.nz/Forums/50/Topic/165860 (http://m.geekzone.co.nz/Forums/50/Topic/165860)
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Thanks ian
I can see why they call it geekzone but actually some of the info was decipherable. Grateful for you taking the time to take a look for me.
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Hi, has anyone had problems with their myfi using a lot of data recently? I have just returned and found that the 39 lire package only lasted a week. I didn't do any streaming and it was mainly used for browsing, Facebook and Skype calls. Someone else that I know had exactly the same problem last week as well whereas when I was out in May, it lasted much longer with much more use including streaming radio.
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Yes, had conversation with my son earlier who has been out for less than a week and got through over 4gb just using social media and a few FaceTime calls, couldn't understand why he needed a top up! We are using Turkcell.
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Sue & I used Turkcell Wifi for our last weeks in Turkey and on average were using 1GB a day.
Social media generally and a couple of 10 minute FaceTime sessions.
We had 10GB installed, approx 80 YTL and topped up again before we left.
(This however is similar to our UK usage using an EE mobile wifi)
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I have a turkish mobile, is there anyway I can check my credit left and what is the number starting with a 5 that I have been given? If looks like a telephone number?......do I just type 2222 and Kalan? And what is the five number for? Thanks.
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*123# works for vodafone.
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Sue mac, the Kalan to 2222 is for data allowance when you have data via MIFI, *123# is for talk and text balance and also works for Turkcell
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Sorry, I confused the issue! I meant can I use my turkish mobile to check the data allowance left on my vinn mini....do I just text 2222 Kalan? But how will they know my mifi number?
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Need to swap the SIM card from Mifi to your phone or enter http://192.168.1.1 from one of your devices logged onto mifi, log in (admin/admin) and use text facility
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Are any Turkcell shops open on a Sunday these days? I can't remember :D
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Are any Turkcell shops open on a Sunday these days? I can't remember :D
Not sure about Turkcell shops generally Keith, but if it helps anybody a friend of mine sorted my VINN wifi at this place last year. (Sunday 14th June).
Serife Yüksel SELEN ILETISIM Akarca Mah.Yerguzlar Cad 803 Sok. No: 37/B FETHIYE
Tel: 0252 613 71 32
Dave. :)
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Thanks for that Dave. I have the mifi unit so I just need a sim to go in it.
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Thanks for that Dave. I have the mifi unit so I just need a sim to go in it.
No worries. I also had to replace my sim this year. It cost YTL100 ( with 8GB of data )
Ironically, I have since topped up with a further 15GB (use within 1 month) and that was only YTL45.00 :)