Communications in Turkey
Telephone communication in Turkey
Telephone communication in Turkey is a very high quality service and relatively inexpensive. At hotel rooms there is always a telephone present, which works directly or through a communicator, in order to provide telephone communication in Turkey. All calls are obviously paid, including local calls. The only exceptions is when you make calls inside the hotel, to neighbor rooms, and other location inside the hotel – such calls, as a general rule, are free. Cell phones in Turkey also work perfectly fine. For calls to local numbers (calling a city guide, for instance), cell phone owners are better off purchasing a prepaid SIM-card for several dollars, which will pay off almost immediately.
Calling from a phone booth is cheaper, than using telephone communication in Turkey from a hotel room. Pay phones are located on every street of every city, as well as resort areas. They can also be found at every post office. Pay phones accept payment with coins, which can be purchased at any post office and sometimes in kiosks on the street. Calls inside the country usually do not present any trouble. The coins come in three sizes: small (for local calls), big (for international calls), and medium, which can be used for paying for both types of telephone communication in Turkey, and all coins are sold at post offices.
You can make calls from some of the pay phones using calling cards in Turkey. The calling cards in Turkey are sold just about everywhere, but in private stores and restaurants they usually cost an extra dollar compared to the price at the post offices ("PTT"). Calling cards in Turkey also come in different sizes – for 30, 50, and 100 contours. This type of cards are better purchased at the post office or in large supermarkets. You should not purchase calling cards in Turkey from people on the streets or at small stores. You can get scammed and given a used or expired calling card, and it will be impossible to prove anything and get your money back later.
Useful numbers in Turkey:
- Medical Emergency - 112
- Police – 155
- Emergency for accidents or vehicle emergencies – 247-06-99
- Fire Department – 110
- Gendarmerie – 156
- Information – 118
- International Operator – 115
- Phone telegrams – 141
- Wake-up calls – 135
- Bus station (Antalya) – (242)3311250
- Bureau of tourist information – (242)2411747
Internet in Turkey
For those who wish to use the internet in Turkey during their vacation, there are internet terminals installed in the hallways of many hotels in Turkey. The terminals are comprised of a table with a laptop and a credit card reading device for payments. In order to make payment for using internet in Turkey you can use any credit or debit card except Visa Electron. It is sufficient to slide the card through the device in order for it to charge your card for the expended amount at the internet terminal. At the same point the internet connection becomes enabled and you can use the service as long as you like. If however, there is no internet terminal at your hotel then you can easily find an internet café in any city or resort area providing access to internet in Turkey.
Postal Services in Turkey
Postal service in Turkey is available at any post office marked with the letters "PTT". Large offices are open Monday through Saturday from 8:00AM till midnight, and from 9:00AM till 7:00PM on Sundays. Small offices of the postal service in Turkey, particularly in resort areas, work seven days a week, and in all other towns only during week days: from 8:30AM till 5:30PM, with a lunch break from noon till 1:30PM. Collections for post cards ("card postale") or letters ("mektup") vary between 0,3 and 0,7 $. In some location providing postal service in Turkey you will be able to exchange currencies and travel checks for cash.
