Job Discussion Forums

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

I brought in my mobile, got it registered according to the official procedure and I could use it for exactly 3 weeks.
Now Turkcell told me what to do to get it reconnected, but then this is Turkey.

I wonder if anyone has actually managed to get a blocked foreign phone reconnected?

howmucharefags · Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 299 Location: Eskisehir

I had the exact same problem. I was in Dubai last month and bought one of the new Nokia models as they are half the price in the Emirates. I asked the girl in the Dubai Nokia shop if I'd have any probs with it in Turkey and she assured me that it would work in all countries. Except Turkey.

The phone was working fine for 3 weeks and then nothing. I contacted Turkcell and they told me to come down and they would reconnect it upon produce of my tax reciept. I don't have a tax reciept. That was the whole point of buying it abroad. So then I trundle along to the government tax office where they helpfully inform me that they stopped taking tax for mobile phones more than 3 months ago. I asked her what I could possibly do to get it reconnected and she told me that the phone was now useless as without a tax reciept they can't do anything.

I have since sent the phone back out of the country to my parents in Dubai who will be visiting shortly. They will pay the tax on it at the airport and then the problem will be solved.

Sometimes I really do hate this country with a passion.

Be warned, any phone with a yabanci address will not work here unless you've got proof of tax being paid.

howmucharefags · Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 299 Location: Eskisehir

I had the exact same problem. I was in Dubai last month and bought one of the new Nokia models as they are half the price in the Emirates. I asked the girl in the Dubai Nokia shop if I'd have any probs with it in Turkey and she assured me that it would work in all countries. Except Turkey.

The phone was working fine for 3 weeks and then nothing. I contacted Turkcell and they told me to come down and they would reconnect it upon produce of my tax reciept. I don't have a tax reciept. That was the whole point of buying it abroad. So then I trundle along to the government tax office where they helpfully inform me that they stopped taking tax for mobile phones more than 3 months ago. I asked her what I could possibly do to get it reconnected and she told me that the phone was now useless as without a tax reciept they can't do anything.

I have since sent the phone back out of the country to my parents in Dubai who will be visiting shortly. They will pay the tax on it at the airport and then the problem will be solved.

Sometimes I really do hate this country with a passion.

Be warned, any phone with a yabanci address will not work here unless you've got proof of tax being paid.

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

Weird. Upon entering Turkey I went straight to customs where I as issued a piece of paper to get my mobile registered. They did not charge me anything.
TurkCell said that they made a mistake and did not tell TurkTelekom to register the phone and it was TurkTelekom who blocked it. Now TurkTelekom wants me to come to their offıce at the World Trade Center armed with:
- original user menu and original packing
- receipt that is signed by the person who sold the device to me
- passport
- custom papers
- mobile

I just wonder if it will be worth the effort of going there. Somehow I have a bad feeling about this.

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

sounds a bit dodgy... user manual & packaging.... hmmmm..... a cynical individual would think it would make it much easier to resell on the black market if it was confiscated for some reason or another?? Does that type of thing go on in Turkey?.. I've never had any problems with customs there but i've never stayed longer than a month at a time?

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

http://www.rccpf.org.uk/Publications/GPRS.htm

don't think the above will be much use to you but may be useful to other peeps.. I found the link where you can register your phone with the government earlier today but can't remember what I googled and now can't find it..

newtefler · Joined: 23 Jun 2006 Posts: 80

found it :0)

http://www.turkisheconomy.org.uk/buyingproperty/residing.htm

dagi · Joined: 01 Jan 2004 Posts: 425

[quote="newtefler"]http://www.rccpf.org.uk/Publications/GPRS.htm

don't think the above will be much use to you but may be useful to other peeps.. I found the link where you can register your phone with the government earlier today but can't remember what I googled and now can't find it..[/quote]

But theat is exactly the problem. People's phoned do get blocked, even if they are registerd according to the official procedure....

yaramaz · Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2006 12:35 pm Post subject:

Dagi, did they actually block your phone after all that? No more funky sonar ringtones? Curse those madmen!

tararu · Joined: 07 May 2006 Posts: 494

My cousin also bought a fab phone in Dubai for half the price and a second fab phone for her boyfriend. Neither new about the rules regarding foreign bought mobiles.
She recieved a message from Turkcell one Friday evening saying that they were going to turn off her and her boyfriend's coverage unless they registered their phones at the airport within 24 hours. Off they went the next day and registered them. However, they were still turned off. Three weeks later they turned my cousin's back on. However, two days ago they turned it back off. Her boyfriend is still waiting for his to be turned back on. It has been nearly two months.

FGT · Joined: 14 Sep 2003 Posts: 762 Location: Turkey

Normal Turkish chaos then. there is too much bureaucracy most of the time but there is also the exception,....which reminds me of a post to write!

txtraveler · Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Posts: 16

I've got an unlocked GSM 900/1800 Nokia that I bought while living in Belgium a couple of years ago. I'm planning on bringing it with me to use and from what I understand, I will have to register it at the airport when I arrive, get a couple of forms, go to a Turkcell (or other provider) store, buy a SIM card and have them submit my forms so that my phone will be registered and therefore usable in Turkey? Perhaps it would be better just to get one after arrival?

How much are prepaid mobile packs (phone, charger, SIM card) in Turkey anyway? I checked the Turkcell website and found info about tariffs and plans, but not about phones or prepaid packs. I really don't need anything fancy, just something that will allow me to text message and make and receive calls occasionally.

calsimsek · Joined: 15 Jul 2004 Posts: 775 Location: Ist Turkey

A Word to wise....

To one and all...DO NOT TRY AND BRING IN A PHONE.....

And old student of mine is the C.E.O of one of the big cell phone wholesalers..

He told me that gov't wanted to cut back on black market phones increase its tax income by making it nearlly impossiable to get a phone registered....

So don't bother...I'm off to Asia this Feb and have no plans to bring back a phone...

howmucharefags · Joined: 30 Nov 2004 Posts: 299 Location: Eskisehir

The phone I purchased in Dubai has now been connected. All I had to do was get the stupid form from the airport and hand it to Turkcell. They should have more posters up at the airport indicating that those forms are necessary. I hate Turkcell adverts by the way. That stupid jingle goes right through me.

justme · Joined: 18 May 2004 Posts: 1944 Location: Istanbul

Any ad whose main feature is a small child talking or singing should be banned.

However, that new one with the footballer who misses his mommy got my attention-- he's bouncing nervously on the bench, and when it shows him from the chest up he looks exactly like he's, uh, pulling 31.