Kibkom North Cyprus Forum

Don't use mobiles very often, but we have a tesco payg unlocked mobile.
We fly via Istanbul to Ercan and sometimes might need to text/phone ahead in case of delay( for hire car etc) or if we miss the connection. If we are texting a TRNC number from Istanbul using our tesco mobile what would we need to key in? Also is there some way of reducing the costs as they seem exorbitant ?
Thanks, I have in the past had really good advice on this forum.

I don't know about Tesco but I have a (unlocked) Vodafone PAYG phone - just arrived in TRNC yesterday (for my regular bi-annual holiday!) and the automatic message from Vodafone states "....You're in our Europe Zone, so any minutes, texts and data you use cost the same as if you were in the UK. So you can stay in touch with friends and family back home or in TURKEY (their capitalisation)......
So it appears calls between Turkey/TRNC/UK are all the same - on Vodafone....

Jofra,
Did you come via Larnaca? I'm just asking as something like this happened to my son. He got the message in the South but didn't get another message when he came to the North to say the rates had changed so wrongly assumed that the same applied. All his credit was used up very quickly, luckily for him it wasn't too much. When he got back to UK he took it up with his service provider and managed to get a refund because he was able to prove that he hadn't received a message when he crossed into the North telling him the rates had changed. Although this was before roaming rules in the EU were changed in June. So perhaps send a test text message and check your balance, if you haven't already done so.

In answer to the first question, the format is +90 533 123 1234 or +90 392 123 1234 (if it's a land line). You need the International dialling code if you are using a non Turkish/TRNC SIM.

When in UK we buy a giffgaff goodie bag, £10 for a month with internet, £5 without giving you plenty free calls and texts, we never run out. There are lots of combinations, Google them. We got a £5 credit as our son recommended them, that credit is only really used for non UK calls and texts.

Vodafone own Turksell and include the roam free europe with Turkey included .My son was in the TRNC in August and was able to use his UK allowance whilst here no extra charge
I have just moved from "3" to Vodafone unlimited calls rxt +16 gig data per month £19
£3 extra gives me call anywhere in the world 100 minutes per month so bye bye second phone
It also gives me internet back up with the 16gig data when TRNC provider is down

Telsim is part of Vodafone as are Cytamobile in South Cyprus, Turkcell are not associated with Vodafone. It does depend on which network you are on at 'home'. Better to check than get a huge bill.

CoA sorry I got my Turk & Tele mixed up
But Vodafone are free to use in Turkey and all Cyprus as part of a package country 49 on the map
http://www.vodafone.co.uk/cs/groups/pub ... 079682.pdf

Tesco mobile uses the O2 network and unlike Vodafone, O2 does NOT include Turkey as part of the new free European roaming.

thanks for this debate, looks like the best idea would be to get a vodaphone payg sim

thanks all