The telephone and postal services in Turkey used to operate as a single unit until 1996, when they were split up to create Türk Telekom (tele phone) and the PTT (the postal service). To prepare for privatization, the telephone monopoly made tremendous improvements to its infrastructure and levels of service. Over 80 per cent of Turkey has fibre-optic technology and major cities enjoy easy access to efficient high-speed internet and broadband connections. Many businesses now have numbers beginning with '444' and you can call one contact office in any local area.
Post offices are clearly identified by the letters PTT and although the postal service can often be slow it is reliable. Making phone calls from counter-top metred phones is economical. Many PTT outlets will change foreign currency and also offer the Western Union service for sending and receiving money. the language of your choice, and insert your card. A panel then shows the number of units remaining on your card.
MOBILE PHONES
Turkey has many mobile (cellular) phone operators but the main one is Turkcell. This operator has GSM roaming agreements with 180 countries on three different MHz bands, which means that most people can use their existing mobile phone as they would at home. The major exception is North America, where wireless standards and frequencies are less integrated with global ones, even if you have a tri-band mobile phone. An alternative operator to try is Türk Telekom.
Requiring only a few formalities, visitors have a flexible option of purchasing prepaid SIM cards from all local mobile operators. These SIM cards can be used with any handset, but you must use the telephone number assigned to individual cards. Units can be topped up at many convenient kiosks, bufes and teleboutiques. The cards self-cancel if not used after three months.
Let's Talk TelephonesTo make international calls, you need to break the codes: the international access codes and country codes (see below). For specifics on making local, long-distance, and international calls, please see the "European Calling Chart" in this appendix. You'll find more information on telephones on page 14 in the Introduction.
Country Codes
After you've dialed the international access code (Oil if calling from the US or Canada; 00 if calling from virtually anywhere in Europe), then dial the code of the country you're calling.
Austria—43 Ireland—353
Belgium—32 Italy—39
Bosnia-Herzegovina—387 Montenegro—382
Britain—44 Morocco—212
Canada—1 Netherlands—31
Croatia—385 Norway—47
Czech Rep.—420 Poland—48
Denmark—45 Portugal—351
Estonia—372 Slovakia—421
Finland—358 Slovenia—386
France—33 Spain—34
Germany—49 Sweden—46
Gibraltar—350 Switzerland—41
Greece—30 Turkey—90
Hungary—36 US—1
Turkish Phone Numbers
For the phone numbers answered in Turkish, ask a local person (such as your hotelier) to make the call for you. Directory Assistance for Istanbul (Turkish-language only): tel. 118 Collect Calls to the US (Turkish-language only): tel. 115 Police (Turkish-language only): tel. 155
Emergency Medical Assistance (Turkish-language only): tel. 112 Med-line Ambulance (English-language): tel. 0212/282-0000 American Hospital: In the New District at Güzelbahçe Sokak 20, Nişantaşı, tel. 0212/311-2000 (dial ext. 9 for English, then 1 for ambulance service)
International Hospital: Close to Atatürk Airport at Istanbul Caddesi 82, Yeşilköy, hospital tel. 0212/663-3000, ambul ance service tel. 0212/444-4505
Consulates/Embassies
US Consulate: Passport services Mon-Thu 8:00-11:30 & 13:30-15:00, closed Fri-Sun; İstinye Mahallesi, Kaplıcalar Mevkii 2, 24-hour emergency assistance tel. 0212/335-9000, recorded information tel. 0212/335-9200, http://istanbul.usconsulate.gov Canadian Consulate: Passport services Mon-Thu 9:30-12:30 & 13:30-17:30, Fri 9:30-12:30, closed Sat-Sun; İstiklal Caddesi 373-375, tel. 0212/251-9838
Airline Offices in Istanbul
Air France: tel. 0212/310-1919 Alitalia: tel. 0212/315-1990
American Airlines: tel. 0212/251-1315 or 0212/251-1316
Atlas Jet: tel. 0212/465-5364
British Airways: tel. 0212/317-6600
Delta: tel. 0212/310-2000
Emirates: tel. 0212/334-8888
KLM: tel. 0212/310-1900
Lufthansa: tel. 0212/315-3434
Onur Air: tel. 0212/662-9797
Turkish Airlines: tel. 0212/444-0849 or 0212/225-0556
Istanbul Atatürk Airport
Airport Services: General info. tel. 0212/465-5555; TI tel.
0212/465-3547 or 0212/465-3451; Airport clinic tel. 0212/663-
6400, ext. 707 Air France: tel. 0212/465-5491 or 0212/465-5492 Alitalia: tel. 0212/465-3575
Czech Airlines: tel. 0212/465-4895 or 0212/465-5766 Delta: tel. 0212/465-4011 or 0212/465-4012 Emirates: tel. 0212/465-3000 or 0212/465-1966 Iberia: tel. 0212/469-8020 KLM: tel. 0212/465-4287 Lufthansa: tel. 0212/465-4650 Malev: tel. 0212/465-4344 Olympic Airlines: tel. 0212/465-3388 Sabena: tel. 0212/465-5732
Swiss: tel. 0212/465-5735 Turkish Airlines: 0212/444-0849
Car-Rental Agencies—International Terminal
Avis: tel. 0212/465-3455 or 0212/465-3456
Hertz: tel. 0212/465-5999
Sixt: tel. 0212/465-3645 or 0212/465-4422
Car-Rental Agencies—Domestic Terminal
Avis: tel. 0212/465-4645 or 0212/465-4488
Budget: tel. 0212/465-5479 or 0212/465-5806
National: tel. 0212-465-3545 or 0212-465-3546
Sabiha Gökçen Airport
Airport Information: tel. 0216/585-5000
Turkish Airlines: tel. 0216/585-5850 or 0216/585-5851
Pegasus Airlines: tel. 0216/585-5970 or 0216/585-5971
Avis: tel. 0216/585-5154
Hertz: tel. 0216/585-5179
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