Communications in Turkey

Communication in Turkey is, like the rest of the world, almost reliant on mobile phones! Turkish SIM cards are available everywhere and anywhere, at a cheap price. Choose between pay-as-you-go or contract, contract SIMS will bill you on a monthly basis. These SIM cards can sometimes go in your existing mobile, but if not, mobile phones are also quite cheap in Turkey.

There a three major mobile networks for communication in Turkey; Turkcell, Telsim and Avea. All have existing agreements with UK network providers, meaning you will probably be able to use your UK mobile in Turkey, although remember you will be billed accordingly! Remember to call your network provider prior to leaving the UK to ensure that your roaming is activated.

Using a landline to phone home (or elsewhere for that matter), is best done with a calling card, which can be purchased from PTT offices. The cards offer good value for money and are easy to use. To call the UK dial 0044 and remove the first 0 from the area code.

Internet café’s are in abundance in Turkey, especially around the Bodrum peninsula, and many of these have reasonable prices.

If you're prepared to keep in touch by more traditional methods, the PTTs; Turkey’s post offices, are open from 09:00 – 12:30 and 13:30 – 17:00. Stamps are only available from the PTT, and when posting your letter, pop it in the post slot marked 'yurtdışı' for overseas post or 'yurtiçi' for post with it's destination in Turkey.