Mobile Phone Roaming in Turkey

If you have a GSM-standard mobile device capable of operating on the 900Mhz and/or 1800Mhz band(s) or 3G 2100 Mhz band, you may use international (or global) roaming in Turkey for up to 120 days. (For longer use, you must be a legal resident of Turkey and register your phone with the Turkish government.)

Before leaving home, you may have to notify your home mobile company, or activate international roaming for your mobile phone account while still in your home country. Check on this so that you won’t be disappointed and unable to roam with your device when you arrive.

A foreign visitor may enter Turkey with one personal mobile device and use it for up to 120 days via international roaming or with a Turkish SIM card without having to register it. After 120 days, you must register your device and pay the registration fee or your device will be blocked from the three Turkish mobile phone networks.

International roaming in Turkey can be a relatively expensive way to make calls, as roaming charges can be high. Basically, you’re paying two phone companies: your home one, which is billing you for the call, and a Turkish one, which is connecting the call.

To set up your phone for roaming in Turkey, see the User’s Manualfor your device on how to select a local network.