Know Mobile Internet Options When Traveling to Turkey

Internet Options In Turkey

Know your Mobile Internet Options while Traveling in Turkey

Traveling to Turkey can be quite the exhilarating adventure, although it may become very hectic if you have no plan how/where to get internet. Not only is it important to stay in contact with your loved ones back home and update your journey on social media, but you will regularly need internet on your phone for many more important reasons. Mobile internet will be helpful to find destinations you want to visit, use maps, check on your airline and make sure no flights have changed, and contact resources you need while you’re there. There are a few options for keeping your Wi-Fi without spending a fortune or having extremely slow internet, and there are a few options that will be very pricey.

Public WiFi in Turkey

There are many WiFi hotspots all over Turkey, and they are very popular in almost every restaurant, subway, shopping center, and most hotels/resorts you’d be spending time in. Unfortunately, with public WiFi, the Internet connection can be drastically slow if there are many people in the area accessing it. If there are only a few people where the public WiFi is accessible, you may have better connection and speed, though it’s still not guaranteed.  

Pros: WiFi may be accessed in many different popular areas.

Cons: The WiFi speed may be very slow, you’re only limited to use it in that certain area, and hotel WiFi might cost.

Personal WiFi Hotspot

It is possible to purchase your own Wi-Fi device and set it up with your phone. Depending on how much data you want and how much data you use, prices may vary. First you’d have to purchase the portable mini-router, and then upon arriving to Turkey you’d have to “rent” the Wi-Fi, or select the package you want. These can include 200 minutes of voice calls, 2000 text messages, and 500 megabytes of data. Although this may seem like a relatively cheap process at the moment, it is very easy to quickly go over your plan, and some surcharges can cost a hefty fine. Turkey has many rental plans for personal Wi-Fi use and data packages, but as mentioned before, you could easily go over your limit and owe a lot of money.

Pros: You’ll have Wi-Fi wherever you’d go, and it would be faster than public Wi-Fi. Plans for rental may be cheap.

Cons: You’ll have to buy a personal router (a decent one, the cheap ones may come with many issues.) You can easily go over Turkey’s data plan options, which can cost a lot extra. It’s impossible to know how well your small router will work abroad for all your internet needs.

Turning on “Roaming” and Sticking with your Mobile Provider

This option might be one of the most unpopular, because roaming prices can be a fortune, even when used briefly. Depending on which mobile carrier you use, roaming prices may not be too expensive, while others may charge you $3/minute for voice calls. Again, if you exceed a plan set between you and your mobile carrier, the aftermath may be extreme. If you go over the data plan, be prepared to possibly expect hundreds of extra dollars on your monthly phone bill.

Pros: It is a simpler option.

Cons: If your hotel Wi-Fi or public Wi-Fi cuts out, your home provider will take over immediately and the money will start racking up. This option can be extremely costly, data coverage is not guaranteed everywhere, and overuse can be very costly.

Purchasing a Local Data Turkish SIM Card

Local SIM cards are one of the more popular options for accessing your mobile internet. This option is way cheaper than roaming costs. All you would need to do is find your first Turkish mobile company (sometimes already in the airport you arrive to), bring your ID or passport for providing personal info, select a data plan, then have the SIM card installed (usually up to 120 days).

Pros: A local Turkish Sim Card is preferred above all other options for stability, reliability, great plans, and faster internet.

Cons: Unfortunately, there are many cons for this method. Due to the language barrier between you and the Turkish mobile provider, it may be difficult to explain what you want and the type of data plan you need.

Most local SIM’s last only a total of 30 days, and can’t be used in any other country if you plan on visiting another close country. If you plan on coming back to Turkey in the future, the SIM card will be unusable.

It can be easily frustrating to fill out all the paperwork to get this SIM, all while trying to communicate with the provider. They will need copies of your passports, or other identifications. You will also get text messages from the provider in Turkish that will be unreadable to you, basically explaining how your phone may be blocked if you exceed the days of use, or explaining other surcharges.

You may be spending a lot of time running back and forth from your hotel to the provider just trying to decipher the random text meanings.

The Stress Free and 100% Reliable Global SIM

Getting a global SIM card is worth every penny. If you have been previously shocked with roaming charges or other forms of WiFi use while traveling, then a great decision is to opt for a Keepgo Lifetime Data SIM Card. There are many benefits that compliment this global SIM option.

  • Keepgo provides coverage in 64 countries – your traveling plans can be endless.
  • It is compatible with all devices, whether you’re bringing your phone, laptop, tablet, or all three.
  • Included is 1GB of high-speed data that doesn’t only last a few months, but a whole year.
  • You can decide between purchasing one of KeepGo’s low cost Lifetime Data SIM cards, or a Lifetime Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot.
  • Keepgo provides free standard shipping to internet buyers in 38 different countries around the world, as well as free delivery to your hotel when you arrive to Turkey.
  • These SIM’s are available for all unlocked devices, and there is a 100% money back guarantee in the unlikely event you run into problems.

If you travel to Turkey but don’t want to be limited to this country only, Keepgo will allow you to effortlessly enter other surrounding countries at no extra cost or speed difference.

It is most efficient to order your Keepgo SIM or Mobile Wi-Fi Hotspot before your trip. You can test out the SIM, and begin using it as soon as you land at the airport in Turkey.

 

Learn more about our products and plans
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Learn more about our products and plans
 
Check our plans

There is 24/7 English speaking support if you run into any errors or are confused by the process. If you plan on traveling much longer than initially expected, all you have to do is recharge your device on the KeepGo website or mobile app. After the simple process of recharging, your SIM will be available for another year of global use.

Always keep in mind that the supportive Keepgo team offers a 100% money back guarantee, which is not always offered by previously mentioned options.