In the country you visit, your phone chooses the GSM operator that has contract with Turkcell automatically. If your mobile phone doesn’t have such a feature, or if you wish to use another operator, you will need to choose the operator you will use. When you go a to country that has 3G network with your 3G compliant handset, you can make calls because you receive service from the 3G network, answer the calls you receive and send/receive short messages. However, there is a possibility that you may not make data connection and therefore may not use services like BasKonuş, MMS*, TurkcellWap, TurkcellMessenger. The reason of this is that 3G compliant handsets are supplied in dual mode. To be able to make data connection, you need to change the network mode in the network settings menu to ‘GSM’.

  3G compliant handsets:
Nokia N90, N70, 6630, 6680, Sony Ericsson K600i, Z1010, Z800i.
For detailed information about operator selection, you may check your handset’s user guide or call Turkcell Customer Services at 444 0 532.

Nokia
Menu > Tools > Settings > Network > Network Selection > Manual

Sony Ericsson
connection > GSM Networks > Choose Network

Motorola
Menu > Settings > Network > Available Networks

Siemens
Settings > Network > Automatic Network (Closed) > Change Network

Samsung
Menu > Network Services > Network Selection > Manuel

There are various service frequencies and varying mobile communication systems in use around the world. Operators provide GSM 850, GSM 900, GSM 1800 , GSM 1900, CDMA, satellite and IDEN services. In these countries where different technologies are used, compliant handsets must be used.

Most of the handsets used in Turkey are compliant with GSM 1800 and 1900 frequencies. For detailed information you can look at the user guide of your handset or call Turkcell Customer Services at 444 0 532.

Especially, when you are in USA and Canada, you will need a handset compliant with GSM 1900 MHz frequency and if you go to Japan or South Korea, you will need a handset compliant with CDMA system. If your handset doesn’t support this technology, you will need to insert your SIM card to the handset you will rent/buy.

To find out at which frequencies the operators in the country you will visit, provide service and what you can do if your handset doesn’t support that frequency, please click here.

• After you get your luggage, you will see small stores where you can rent handsets. You can reach the maps of the companies through their websites or talk to them/fill in forms before you leave Turkey and ask them to send it to your hotel.
• Before you rent the phone, insert SIM card and see if it works. If it doesn’t, ask for a new one.
• Indicate the period of your stay.
• Review the documents they ask you to sign and sign.
• Don’t forget to get your charger with the handset
• You can make the payment by credit card or in cash.
• Don’t forget to return the handset when you are leaving.

Renting handsets

Belize-Belize Telecom
Address: BPL Ofis, Phillip Goldson International Airport
Tel: +501 225 4162
Fax: +501 225 3192
e-mail: btlport@btl.net
web: www.btl.net

CellHire (Global Center)
Tel: +44 1904 610610
e-mail: york@cellhire.com
Fax:+44 1904 611028
web: www.cellhire.com

South Korea-KTF
Address: Incheon International Airport arrival terminal 1F, Kapı 10~11 and departure terminal 3F, Door 9
Tel:+82-2-2190-0901
Fax:+82 32 743 4006
web: www.ktfroaming.com

South Korea -KTF
Address:Kimhae International Airport, Visitor Terminal 1F
Tel:+82 51-941-9466
Fax:+82 51-641-9466
web: www.ktfroaming.com

South Korea -KTF
Address:Busan International Airport, visitor terminal 1F
Tel:+82-64-1588-0608
Fax:+82-64-051-462-9466
web: www.ktfroaming.com

South Korea -KTF
Adres:Gwangju International Airport, visitor terminal 2F
Tel:+82-64-1588-0608
Fax:+82-64-062-943-2016
web: www.ktfroaming.com

South Korea -SK Telecom
Address: Incheon International Airport, visitor terminals no 6 and 7
Tel: +82 32 7434 057
Fax: +82 32 7434 042
web: www.sktelecom.com
Explanation: To rent handset in the airport

South Korea -SK Telecom
Address: Gimhae International Airport 1st floor, across the exit terminal
Tel: +82 22 662 4601
Fax: +82 22 662 4614
Note: Available between 08:00 - 20:00

South Korea -SK Telecom
Adres: Gimpo International Airport, 1st floor, down the 1st terminal
Tel: +82 2 2662 4601,4604
Fax: +82 2 2662 4614
Note: Available between 08:00 - 21:30

Japan-NTT DoCoMo
Tel:+81-44-210-5109
web: http://roaming.nttdocomo.co.jp/service/detail.html

Mexico - Cellular Abroad
Tel: +1-310-862-7100
web: www.cellularabroad.com
e-mail: info@cellularabroad.com

Phonerental
Tel: + 1 800 335 3705(free)
Tel:+1 619 446 6980 (for non-US calls)
Fax:+1 619 226 6095
e-mail: info@phonerentalusa.com
web: www.phonerentalusa.com

Chile - ENTEL PCS
Address: Santiago International Airport
Tel: +56-2-3688778
web: www.entelpcs.cl

Using the Thuraya, which provides services with the satellite technology, you can make calls in all points not covered (provided that you can see the sky) and take advantage of the available services.

For this, you just need to insert the SIM card in the Thuraya phone you will buy/rent and make calls.

If your handset and/or SIM card is lost when you are abroad, call Turkcell Customer Services at 00905324440532. Your SIM card will be blocked, and thus no one will be able to use it.

If you report the theft to the police in the country you are, you will need the IMEI number. To learn this number, you must dial *#06# from your phone and note it somewhere you can access, as a precaution if your handset gets stolen.

When Turkcell subscribers return to Turkey and start using Turkcell network (provided that their handsets are connected to GPRS), the date and time settings of their handsets will be updated automatically. In the same way, when the subscribers of the foreign operators with who Turkcell has contracts, come to Turkey, (provided that their handsets are connected to GPRS) the date and time settings of their handsets will be done automatically.

In order for the automatic time and date setting to be done, the handset must be connected to GPRS and the setting of ‘Update date/time automatically’ must be on in the GPRS menu of the handset. If ‘First Get Approval’ selection is marked, you will be asked to approve the change. If the setting is off, the update will not take place.

In order for the Turkcell subscribers to get this service when they are abroad, the foreign operator that they receive service from, must support this feature.

In Turkey, users making calls while they are close to borders and whose lines are activated for international calls (international use-roaming), can be covered by the GSM networks of neighboring countries at certain points, and therefore their calls may be charged as they were made from abroad.

Sometimes coverages and signals of Turkcell and the operators of the neighboring countries ca intersect, and because of that at some points our subscribers can be covered by foreign operators. This is resulted from many factors like the ban on installing base stations at military areas at borders, restrictions on coverages at such areas and/or usage of the same frequency by the operators of the both countries, lack and deficiencies in energy and transmission infrastructure, and the local topography. This problem is experienced by many operators in the world and is not unique to our country.

In order to avoid such undesired chargings, our users whose lines are activated for international calls and whose network selection settings are automatic, are recommended to set their network selection to manual.

In order to prevent problems for our subscribers, we are working with the foreign operators to decide on the best positions for the base stations.

Turkcell subscribers now can exchange messages with North America as well

As a result of our contract with the ‘Sybase 365’ company, now Turkcell subscribers can exchange messages with the subscribers of 130 operators active in North America and that provide services outside the standards of GSM (CDMA and TDMA). Among the operators covered by the contract, there are names like ‘Cellular One’, ‘Verizon’, "Sprint PCS Cingular" and "Bellsouth". Messages to be sent to the operators active in North America, will be charged over international SMS tariffs.

Operators that allow message exchange:

Airadigm,Airtouch-Paging, Ameritech,Telus Mobility, Bell Atlantic,Bell Mobility, Bellsouth,Cellular One (Albany, NY), Cellular One (Amarillo),Cellular One (Baltimore Washington), Cellular One (Buffola, NY),Cellular One (Central IL), T-Mobile,Cellular One (Iowa), Verizon - Ameritech,Cellular One, Verizon,Pine Belt Telephone and Wireless, Cellular One (SW IL),Cellular One (SW New Hamshire, Rhode Island), Cellular One (SW Oklahoma),Edge Wireless, Cellular One (Syracuse, NY),Centennial, CFW,Clearnet, Comcast,GTE, Houston Cellular,Iowa Wireless, Pacific Bell,Primeco Verizon, Sprint,South Western Bell Mobile, US Cellular,US West (Qwest), Public Service Cellular,Cellular One (Dobson Net), Cellular One (SW Eastern Massuchussetts),Southewest CO, Cellular One (Rochester, NY),Cellular One (Rural Corp), Cellular One West,Rogers, Cellular One (Indiana),Cellular One Northwest, Cellular One (Man Kato),Commnet Airtouch, Amica,Mactel, Triton - Suncom - AT&T,Cingular - Horizon Personal, Wireless North,West Central, Midwest Wireless,US Unwired, Airlink,Blackfoot, Five Star,Conestoga Wireless, Sasktel,NPI Wireless, Ram Cell,Cellular One (EMS), Central Wireless,Centurytel, Union Cellular,Acc Dobson Cellular, Bellsouth Partner,Southwestern Bell Partner, Sprint Partner,Appalachian Wireless, 3 Rivers PCS,South Centreal Utah, First Cellular,Cellular South Telepak, Alltel,MTS Mobility, Island Tel,Cellular One (SNET), Mobilfone,North Alabama Cellular, RCS,MTT Mobility, Pioneer,Bell Atlantic Upstate Wireless, Farmers Alabama,Cellular 2000 MN, Inland Cellular,Mid-Missouri Cellular, Plateau Cellular Network,Primeco Illinois, Leap Wireless,Cingular, Verizon Puerto Rico,Telefonica Puerto Rico (Movistar), Brazos Cellular,Carolina West Wireless, Golden State,Metro PCS, Bermuda Digital,Guam Hafatel, NorthCoast PCS,Five Star Wireless, Citizens Mohave Cellular,MTA Wireless, Guamcel,Trico Wireless PCS, Advantage Cellular,Centennial Puerto Rico, Snake River PCS,SRT Wireless, Viaero Wireless,Kiwi PCS, Eloqui Wireless,Airtouch-Paging, Arch Wireless,Cook Paging, Pagemart - Weblink,Skytel, Cellcom,Mobiltel Wireless, TSR Wireless,Radiofone, Teletouch,Southern Linc, Baystar Communications,Satellink Communications, Digital Communications,Selectpath Contact Wireless, Arch Wireless

To load units while you are abroad, you can choose one of the following methods:

• If you have given instruction before, you can load units through *121#:

After dialing *121# and pressing the call button, you can buy units from the IVR system and load your units.

• If you have given instruction before, loading units through 00905328035111:

By calling 00905328035111, you can buy and load units with your credit card. After you load the units successfully, you will receive  a notification message saying that ‘X units have been successfully loaded’.   

• If you have given instruction before, loading units by dialing *121*:

When you are abroad, you can dial (without leaving spaces) *121* Kontör Expire DateCVC2Code# and press the call button. After the loading process is completed successfully, you will get a notification message indicating that the process has been successful.

• Loading units through the Online Servics Center:

You can load units with your credit card on the Online Servcies Center.

• Loading units with *122* using the card you took with you

After you scratch the back of the unit card that you bought from a dealer before you leave Turkey, dial the code you saw as follows: *122*12345678901234#. After you load the units successfully, you will receive  a notification message saying that ‘X units have been successfully loaded’.  

• Loading units with 00905328090111  using the card you took with you:

After you scratch the back of the unit card that you bought from a dealer before you leave Turkey, call 00905328090111 and load the units as if you are in Turkey.

• Loading units over Internet

Kontörnet service
Superonline website
Garanti Bankası İnternet branch
Denizbank İnternet Branch
Yapı Kredi İnternet Branch
HSBC İnternet Branch
Asya Finans İnternet Branch