Mobile internet in turkye

How to get cheap and easy mobile internet in istanbul (edge only? but propably all over turkye?!)

(german short version below)
Just arrived to istanbul i’d like to use my sipgate voice-over-ip (VoIP) to stay connected and to make cheap calls to germany and china. Because some providers are blocking VoIP, a lot of (expensive) data traffic and missing 3g (sometimes) i use fring. And it’s great to stay connected with your im-buddys too.

Anyway, just go and buy a prepaid simcard – i chosed turkcell because i like the advertisment, thought it’s a turkish provider („support your local dealer and hate vodafone“) for about 12 euro, including 100 „credits“: Don’t ask me about that kind of strange „credit“ thing, but seems 4 credits for 60kB of „real internet“. Well, unfortunatly the salesclerk in the shop told me just what i wanted to hear to sell his simcard to me. So i abused in a few minutes half of my hundred credits for a ten minute voip call via fring.That’s the way how it is NOT working.

After surfing the web for ages, finally i called the turkcell costumer service. Actually just to ask if i can apply to a dataplan with my prepaid card. And here starts my reason why i really want to recommend turkcell:

First that „press tss tss for english“ i couldn’t understand, don’t know what to press to change to english but after about two minutes and some (to sing supoosed to be good..) „spoken voice commands“ i got a real, human operator online. Finally a desperated

„english, english! please pass me over to an english operator“

brought me to a very polite and nice guy, gave me all information, knew about my phone model, called me by my name and so on.. Never had such a phone service anywhere in germany (except my fav store amazon)!

Finally a long intro, here are the -short version- facts, you can choose between:

  • a daily flatrate (until midnight) including 30mb costs „10credits“
  • a one week flat for only 25credit includes 50m – that’s my choice!

After the one week they’ll extend for another week automatically, if there’s enough money on your prepaid account left.

To apply visit the Turkcell Subscriber Center or by calling 4440532 Turkcell Customer Services

PS: also comfortable in germany the €10 monthly simyo flat finally.. No hsdpa but slow 3g dataplan at least

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