Mobile or cellular phones are very useful for communication in Turkey. Network coverage is very good and it is very rare to be in an area where mobile phones do not work. However, foreigners may not use their foreign mobile phones in Turkey so easily - even with a new SIM-card bought from a Turkish mobile phone company. This is due to the mobile phone law passed by the Turkish government several years ago requiring all mobile phones to be used in Turkey to be registered with the government. The said requirement applies not just with the SIM card but also with the handset itself. The mobile phone registration will help prevent terrorist acts.
More so, all Turkish and foreign visitors are entitled to bring only one mobile phone into Turkey during each calendar year for use during their stay in the country. A personal mobile phone brought into Turkey in this manner is exempt from tax and duty. However, it is necessary to register the mobile phone in order to use it with a local SIM card bought from any of the three major Turkish GSM network operators. Unregistered mobile or cellular phones used in Turkey will be blocked and unable to receive or make calls.
There is no charge levied for the mobile phone registration and no customs documents are required. Foreigners and visiting Turkish nationals are only required to take their foreign mobile phone and valid passport to any of the Turkish Network Operator shops - Avea, Turkcell or Vodafone (formerly Telsim) and have their mobile phones registered if they wish to use their mobile
phones for a long-term stay in Turkey. After registration, a local SIM card may be bought and the clerk will register the SIM card's number with the handset's IMEI number along and with the owner’s personal information.
Telephone Calls
Calling abroad from Turkey is fast and easy. To do so, dial the international code 00 followed by the country code, the local area code (remove the first 0) and the number you want to call. For example, a London number with an area code of 0207 would be dialed from Turkey as 00 44 207 followed by the
number.
To dial Turkey from abroad dial the international code 00 followed by the country code 90, the local area code (deleting the first 0) and then the number you want to call. For example, a Fethiye number with an area code of 0252 would be dialed from abroad as 00 90 252 followed by the number.
In Turkey, there are several public telephone booths which accept telefon kartı or jeton. They can easily be bought from post offices (PTT) or local shops.
