Turkey 3G Sim Card Query

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truscott

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Last year I purchased a Vodafone dongle that plugged into the USB on my laptop that was valid for one month and came with a decent sized data plan. We kept our regular Sim cards in our mobile phones and so had no problems with registration etc....

This year, things may be a bit different if I can work out whether my plan will work or not. In short, I don't want to take a laptop at all (just our phones and maybe a tablet). Boat has everything necessary for navigation etc... so laptop was just for internet, skype and email.

I now have a Galaxy Note, and my wife has an iPhone 3GS. When we're travelling, or even when we're just out and about, I enable the "Personal Hotspot" type feature, and she connects to it via WifI. We're both able to browse/download, use skype etc...

When we get to Turkey this summer, I'd like to get a prepaid local 3G Sim card (Turkcell or Vodaphon etc...) to do the same. Is this possible? I've read loads of horror stories that folk have everything working for 10 days and then splat the mobile is locked out. Is this the mobile or just the Sim? IE. If I swap back to my regular Sim card, am I able to use my phone? I've hear it takes a month to register the phone, and you only get 10 days grace with the Sim card. Seems like that's going to be mighty inconvenient for 20 days!

Appreciate any advice you may all have.

Cheers, PT.
 
I am working in Turkey this year. I brought a Nokia handset out from UK and inserted Turkish Voda sim. It worked for around 2 weeks then locked out.
I had to buy a cheap handset and use my eye wateringly expensive UK voda in UK Blackberry for emails, but only enable data when I am in a WiFi zone like my hotel, or cafes. Seems to be a lot more WiFi free available.
 
Cheers Fullcircle. Not what I wanted to hear, but sort of confirms what I'd been reading. Guess we'll be going with the laptop again and buying another dongle and 3G Sim.

Cheers, PT.
 
I am working in Turkey this year. I brought a Nokia handset out from UK and inserted Turkish Voda sim. It worked for around 2 weeks then locked out
Click to expand...

You need to register a phone purchased outside Turkey.Just take together with your passport to one of the larger Vodaphone shops. It takes a couple of days to activate. If you do not use for 9 months it is locked out.
 
akyaka said:
You need to register a phone purchased outside Turkey.Just take together with your passport to one of the larger Vodaphone shops. It takes a couple of days to activate. If you do not use for 9 months it is locked out.
Click to expand...

They told me it was only valid for a month?
 
You have to register a foriegn phone to use wıth a Turkish sim card. My recollection is that this must be done within 30 days of entry to the country (date on passport), and you are only allowed one phone per calender year, per person.
 
My worry is that it will take a month to process the registration but the phone will get locked after 10 days. If turkcell can do it in 2 days then that's well worth doing as we can leave the laptop at home.

Guess we'll have to suck it and see.

Cheers, PT.
 
They told me it was only valid for a month?
Click to expand...

Whoever they are it is incorrect, registration is "for life" as long as you keep it activated;we have a mobile which was first registered some 4 years ago. As Satsuma says you are supposed to register within one month and restricted to one phone every, I thought 2 years, but Satsuma probably has more up to date info.

My worry is that it will take a month to process the registration but the phone will get locked after 10 days.
Click to expand...

Never known it take that long,5 days is most I have known and that was some time ago, it often seems to be the next day.If worried you can pick up a new basic PAYG mobile for less than 150 TL.
 
satsuma said:
You have to register a foriegn phone to use wıth a Turkish sim card. My recollection is that this must be done within 30 days of entry to the country (date on passport), and you are only allowed one phone per calender year, per person.
Click to expand...

A TurkCell employee told me it was all down to the fact that some enterprising gentlemen were flying to Dubai, loading up with a suitcase, or two, of unlocked phones, and then bringing them back to Turkey to sell - thus interfering with the existing Turkish mobile phone sales agreements that various companies (mainly TurkCell at the time) had with the government. Additionally, the Turkish government was missing out on taxes imposed on the legitimate import of mobile phones by said companies. There was also the terrorist threat of Kurds being able to use unregistered phones.
 
When you buy your Turkish SIM card they will arrange the registration at the same time. The 20 day grace allows the registration process to be completed so you can go on using your phone after that.

Brian
 
The 20 day grace allows the registration process to be completed so you can go on using your phone after that.
Click to expand...

Never known it take anywhere near as long as that and you may find that you cannot use your Turkish Sim until registered.
 
Thanks Akyaka. I've just realized that the registration process was the reason why the Vodafone Dongle wasn't working on the first day that I picked it up. They had an online system which needed to send data off to activate the Sim card, and this link was down. Everything was fine a day later, so I guess I'll just do the same thing, but this time with a 3G Sim only (had to pay a seperate fee for the Dongle too).

Cheers, PT.
 
Onboard WiFi

We use wifi on all our boats, but have found only Turkcell works in the bays and at sea. We get speeds of up to 5mbits offshore. For example between Knidos and Bodrum we got 3mbits. There is a good iPhone/iPad free app called speedtest for checking connectivity and speeds.

Our UK sourced iPad has a Turkcell SIM and has never been registered. It has been working for almost a year now.
 
PITA

Bodrum May, 2012 Experience
Stop in 3 Mobile Stores = Get 3 Different Answers with vastly Different Costs.
Saw Vodaphone store on way to main harbor, purchased a voice SIM (no phone registration) and after one short call to check home v-mail $$$ almost gone. Long (unnecessary) Story short, got my $$$ back (was not easy) but wasted lots of time and totally confused by explanations that made no sense.
TurkCell Store explained the procedure that most have mentioned here which after listening seemed so involved and time consuming + $$$ that I declined.

Went with Phone Card - which worked fine for my temporary(only in country for 2 weeks) purposes. I used an area on the way to harbor that had a phone bank - 8 to 10 phones lined up in a row. Returned a few days later to check v-mail, all the phones were gone, wall painted over. :confused:
Back to the drawing board, who needs a phone anyway:rolleyes:
 
maxy said:
Our UK sourced iPad has a Turkcell SIM and has never been registered. It has been working for almost a year now.
Click to expand...
That's very interesting. I wonder why it's not blocked? Maybe the IMEI-checking process distinguishes between types of device.

What sort of Turkcell SIM is it? Was it bought since the registration rules came in?

We're using a personal hotspot with a Turkcell PAYG SIM with our iPad, which works well, so I don't want to risk putting the SIM in the iPad.
 
A rather paranoia French sailor told me the Turks want you to buy a “ Turkish “ cell because they have just as USA cells a extra circuit that allows the cell to be “Wire taped”
See : http://www.economist.com/node/14921383
It was a Turkish cell repair specialist who told and demonstrated that. Since, he was extreme careful
phoning with his 92 year old mother. :D
 
satsuma said:
You have to register a foriegn phone to use wıth a Turkish sim card. My recollection is that this must be done within 30 days of entry to the country (date on passport), and you are only allowed one phone per calender year, per person.
Click to expand...

That is correct, but you can sometimes beat the system. My UK sourced phone was registered last year with a Turkcell sim. It failed totally last November, with a blank screen, after getting wet. I brought in a new Samsung waterproof phone in March, and put the Turkcell sim in it, took it to the main Turkcell shop in Marmaris who registered it for me for a 5 Lire fee, despite it being within 12 months of the previous phone registration.

As for 3G internet I use a Turkcell VINN dongle connected to my laptop, which works well and gives good coverage. Other providers are reported to have much less coverage than Turkcell.
 
That is correct, but you can sometimes beat the system. My UK sourced phone was registered last year with a Turkcell sim. It failed totally last November, with a blank screen, after getting wet. I brought in a new Samsung waterproof phone in March, and put the Turkcell sim in it,
Click to expand...

If you bought the phone in Turkey it does not need registering in the same manner as a UK sourced phone

Stop in 3 Mobile Stores = Get 3 Different Answers with vastly Different Costs
Click to expand...

Only some of Turkcell's own stores can register your phone which is very simple and straightforward.
 
Norman_E said:
Other providers are reported to have much less coverage than Turkcell.
Click to expand...

Despite the cell tower on the hill above Bozzuk kale, I could not link up with a Vodafone dongle. Wonder if it's just a Turkcell tower?

Probably go with Turkcell this time because of the positive reports on here and other forums.

PT.
 
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