Cell Phones

Staying connected is important, and getting a Turkish SIM card is one of the first things you should do. Turkcell, Vodafone, and Türk Telekom are the main service providers, offering prepaid and postpaid plans. International students can benefit from special student packages with discounted call, text, and data options. SIM cards can be purchased at the airport, malls, or service provider stores by presenting your passport.

If you bring your phone from abroad, note that foreign phones must be registered with Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) within 120 days to avoid being blocked. If you plan to stay longer, you may need to buy a locally registered phone to continue using Turkish SIM cards. Mobile banking and transport apps, such as Istanbulkart and BiTaksi, make having a local phone number very useful.