Job Discussion Forums

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Can someone explain in simple words what I have to do in Istanbul to get my mobile to work there.

Chip ? How much ? Where ? Do I need ID or what ?

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

Do you mean to get your KSA number to work here or get a Turkish account. If you want your KSA number to work then I guess you can set that up on the internet in Riyhad. But roaming access is pricey and as a Scot you'd prefer a local one

If you want a Turkish one... stick with turkcell.* Go to a turkcell shop(abone merkezi) have a copy of your passport and ask for hazir kart. It'll cost about 20ytl and be ready to use in half in hour.

* however telsim and avea are offering really good deals at the moment.(loads of free credits)

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Aha
Turkcell it is then.
Thanks dmb

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

Can I then get a card to charge up my account and 'pay as you go' ?

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

Yeah, you can buy credits (kontur) in varying increments. 100 credits (which I think come with the card) will get you through a few days' visit unless you make a lot of long distance calls.

Someone mentioned ages ago that if you don't buy credits for a certain amount of time, your card gets disconnected. After my amazing konbara discovery a few months ago, I'm now getting recorded warnings that I'm about to be disconnected. So I'll go ahead and buy more credits even though I don't need them, but I'm wondering, if it gets shut off, do I have to get a new number? Or just pay them more to get it reconnected?

I hate these stupid nickel-and-dime scams.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

You mean if I am out of Turkey and don't use the number it will vanish into cyberspace ?

Aaaaw ! Not fair !

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

It seems that may be the case. Very annoying. And it seems to not be about if you use it, but if you pay to put credits on it. I've been using mine this whole time, but I haven't paid for credits in a few months.

But maybe there's a way to get around this in your case, scot...

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

It might be easier just to do what I have done until now - manage during my visits to IST without a mobile !

Vixter · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 64

i went away for a few months last year and when i came back my phone wasn't working even though i still had kontors on it. i just bought another 100 kontors and it started working, no problem. Unless it's changed, even if they disable the number all you need to do is buy more kontors when you come back and it works again. Hope that helps.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

How much for 100 kontors ?

dmb · Joined: 12 Feb 2003 Posts: 8397

I think it is 26ytl. But when you buy your sim card you get a bunch of kontors pre-installed.

scot47 · Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Posts: 15343

I think I will do. Then I can torment dmb and justme and all the others with calls from my cellphone when I am passing through Byzantium.

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

And with Turkcell you can also register as a "gencturk" for which age seems not to be a barrier - I'm 50 and got it! Then you get extra perks/freebies. It actually becomes redundant buying konturs sometimes.

Can anyone remember the formula to register? I'd like to include some of my friends so that I'm not charged for phoning/messaging them.

PS. Turkcell charges 26ytl (I think) for 250 konturs but you get 50 extra in the konbara. ie you buy 300 for 26ytl.

scb222 · Joined: 24 Jan 2003 Posts: 175 Location: Brisvegas, Oz

i just entered the country a few days ago. when you arrive at the airport you MUST declare your cell phone at customs, and you MUST have your phone's original receipt, the customs guy will stamp your receipt. then you can take this receipt to turkcell, telsim, avea, up to you, and buy a sim and have it activated about an hour later - and low and behold you have a functioning phone.

if you didnt declare your phone on arrival, as i didnt cos there are no signs in English, and there was no information about such a thing on the plane, you MUST return to the airport on the same day you arrived and get your receipt stamped. if you go back a day after your arrival you will have to pay a fine of 56 YTL and wait 2 weeks for your phone to be cleared. if you didnt bring your recipt with you, i can imagine many dont, youre outa luck. youll have to buy a phone here if you wanna use a turkish sim card.

however, supposedly as of tomorrow, january 1st, for those arriving on or after this date the rules are changing again... you will supposedly be able to register your phone directly at the telecom office (turkcell, telsim office etc) who will then send a copy of your receipt and passport to ankara for approval. im told the procedure will take about a month, and i can well believe that cos anything that needs to go to ankara takes a looooong time! after youre approved you can buy a sim and youre set.

what a performance though. i cant believe it. i think turkey will need a better system if it wants to be in the EU. talk about stifling business!!!!