Getting Internet Access while in Turkey
Potential customers always ask us whether it is easy to get internet access in Turkey. With either plans to move and live here permanently, or use their new property as a holiday home, everyone wants a connection to the net. It isn’t a luxury anymore, but an essential part of life. Whether we use it for staying in touch with friends and family, for work or just streamlining different television packages, we want the best possible connection for the lowest price.
The excellent news is gaining access to high-speed internet service is quickly done through the vast choices on offer. You can connect to friends and family all over the world within minutes, and sometimes, you don’t even need to be a subscriber. So, let’s look at the data plans and Internet connections on offer.
Internet Access While on Holiday in Turkey
If your plans include travelling or a fleeting visit, the excellent news is access to wireless internet is cheap. Many people complain their existing mobile service provider charges a high rate for international roaming, however, in Turkey; you can get it for free. Most bars and restaurants give out wi-fi passwords for customers buying food or drink.
The alternative, especially for wireless access in your home, is to rent a mobile hotspot. Providers cargo a hotspot to your chosen address, which allows up to ten connected devices to unlimited wi-fi. When your holiday is over, pop it into the prepaid package and inform the provider who will send the cargo company to pick it up. Rental agents charge an average of six euros per day but include many incentives such as 30% off for bookings of seven days or more.
Note: If you plan to stay for over 120 days, you must register your mobile phone and for convenience, and cost, it would be helpful to sign up to a Turkish mobile provider.
Internet Cafes in Turkey
A decade ago, internet cafes were popular, especially among for browsing and among gaming crowds below the ages of 20. However, these days, as increasingly people have internet connection in their homes and mobile broadband, their use lessened, and many shut down. If you are a digital nomad and looking to access the internet for work, instead look up co-working spaces, which are especially popular in the big cities like Istanbul but not so much in rural areas.
Home Internet Providers in Turkey
Turkey has two leading providers, and roughly 30 regional sub-contractors. The major problem with smaller local contractors is accessing foreign television packages because buffering can be a consistent problem. Likewise, a VPN sometimes slows the service down. Otherwise, they offer excellent packages, and some benefit ex-pats who come and go because you can freeze subscriptions when you are not in the country.
TTNET / Turk Telekom
Turkey’s most famous provider is TTNET, a branch of Turk Telekom, the country’s largest telecommunications company. They have Turkey’s most extended fiber network transmitting data at a faster speed, and the advantage is it is less likely to cut out if there is an electricity outage as sometimes happens. Fiber optic prices are higher than the standard DSL version, but TTNET sells excellent packages at affordable prices, with a two-year contract. One such example is unlimited internet and the premium television Tivibu package, including English film and documentary channels.
Turk Telekom is the only provider of home phone lines which you need. To get an existing landline changed over to your name, go to the local Turk Telekom office with a copy of your tapu, passport and residency permit. Like their packages, they offer incredibly excellent value upon signing a two-year contract. The Turkish version of their website has extensive information which unfortunately disappears in their English version, so use an online translator - https://www.turktelekom.com.tr
Turkcell Super Online
The second-largest provider is Super Online, which is part of Turkcell, the country’s most popular mobile service provider. They offer some excellent packages but to date, could not take the market share from TTNET. They sell fiber and ADSL. Unfortunately, an English version of their website isn’t available as yet. https://www.superonline.net/ Download and upload quotas are in place on quite a few accounts for both providers, and this is known as a fair practise but is worth checking out if using the internet for television, videos, or online games.
D Smart
D-Smart, a digital publishing platform and internet service providers offer either separate or combined internet and television services. Their packages include hundreds of satellite channels while internet subscribers have various options to connect via smartphones, tablets, or a satellite receiver via their D Smart Go package. They are currently offering unlimited fiber internet up to 24 Mbps per month.
Internet Speed Connection
According to a 2015 report by Mashable and the UK Independent newspaper, Turkey has a lower speed connection ranking than the UK. A report by the Internet society ranks Turkey as 59th in the world for speed. Still, it is worth being optimistic because increasingly more Turks are signing up to the internet every day, so providers are clamouring to give the best downloading and upload speed at the lowest price possible. There are plans to extend fiber coverage, and the 4.5G mobile service is booming after its introduction in 2016. According to the website Speed Test, the fastest mobile and broadband connections in order are Turksat Kablo, TurkNet, Turkcell, Vodafone and Turk Telekom.
Also of Interest
Mobile Phone Operators: Besides getting internet access in Turkey, also swap over your cell provider if staying for over 120 days. In this article, we review the three biggest mobile internet providers and outline how to register your phone legally.
About Us: We are Turkey Homes, a property and lifestyle specialist with offices all over the country. Our local knowledge has helped many people to become homeowners in destinations like Istanbul, Fethiye, Antalya and Bodrum. Read more about these destinations and other advice for travelling, living, and working here in our blogs about Turkey.
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