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If you have an "unlocked" GSM phone
capable of operating in the 900 Mhz
or 1800
Mhz bands, you can probably
use it in Turkey—but you must
register
a foreign phone with the Turkish
authorities before you can
use it.
You can use it via international
roaming,
but a cheaper way may be to buy a Turkish
SIM card (chip) and insert it into
your phone.
A SIM (Subscriber
Identity Module) card is a small electronic
chip and memory card that stores
information on a mobile phone customer, the phone's
account, country of usage, and data such as SMS (Short
Message Service) messages.
In effect, it's the "hard
drive" or "memory chip" of your GSM
mobile phone. When you turn on your mobile phone, the
SIM tells the phone which network to connect to, who
you are (so people can call you), and your phone usage
preferences.
Several companies will sell you SIM
chips from Turkish mobile phone companies
in your home country,
so you'll be able to set up your phone
before arriving
in Turkey, and make and receive calls
as soon as you arrive and register
your phone.
Otherwise, you can easily buy
a SIM card when you get to Turkey.
(Although there can be problems—read
this.)
Have your passport with you when
you go to buy a SIM card. Identification
is supposedly required when you register
a phone or phone number in Turkey.
(I welcome any further reports on this
problem. Email
me!)
Locked or Unlocked: GSM
phones are either "locked" (you
can't change your SIM card), or "unlocked" (you
can remove your SIM card and replace
it with a different one).
If you GSM phone is unlocked,
you will be able to remove (and save)
your current card, buy a new
Turkish SIM card, insert it
in your mobile phone, and use your
phone as a "local person," paying
local Turkish rates for calls.
This is usually much cheaper than international
roaming.
In Turkey, a mobile
phone shop—they seem
to be everywhere in the cities—may
be able to "unlock" your "locked"
GSM phone so that you can put in
a Turkish SIM card. They may charge TL10
to TL50 for this service.
Mobile phone shops will also sell
you prepaid "starter" packets from any of the Turkish
mobile phone companies. The packet
contains a SIM card,
phone
number, description
of services available, and instructions
for use—all of which may be
in Turkish! But the shop clerk should
be able to help you.
For my Turkish-bought phone, I just
removed the back, took out the battery,
inserted the SIM chip, replaced the
battery and the back, and then sync'ed
the phone with the network by pushing
the buttons as instructed.
With a new SIM chip, you'll probably
have to re-program all the phone numbers
you want in your phone (because the
SIM chip is where your numbers are
stored).
Making calls is usually
pretty easy to figure out, and the
phone shop staff will help you with
that, too. Here's
some help. If all else fails, Turkish
mobile phone companies have customer
service numbers that connect
to English-speaking operators who
may be able to help you.
Turkish mobile phone companies make
it easy for you to add calling units (kontör) to
your account. More...
SIM Card Problems
Turkey's
Mobile Phone Companies & Networks
Prepaid
Mobile Phone Plans & Costs
International
Roaming for Mobile Phones in Turkey
Protect
Yourself Against Mobile Phone Theft
Rent
a GSM Mobile Phone in Turkey
Rent
a GSM Mobile Phone Before You Leave
Home
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