Handy trips to Turkey: This is how your costs remain within the framework!

Handy trips to Turkey: This is how your costs remain within the framework!

Türkei - travelers who are planning a trip to Turkey should prepare for high costs for cell phone use. Particular attention is paid to the roaming fees, which are noticeably higher in Turkey than within the EU. According to n-tv which is not a EU country, which means EU roaming regulation does not apply. While "Roam Like at Home" applies in the EU, this becomes a cost trap in Turkey.

The global cost brake for mobile Internet is 59.50 euros, but travelers should be aware that an automatic separation of the connection does not always work. Consumer advice centers recommend that you get information about the exact roaming costs before departure at the mobile phone provider and to consider special flat rates for the time abroad.

optimal preparation

In order to avoid unwanted costs, users should deactivate the data roaming option on their cell phone or activate the flight mode before they arrive in Turkey. In addition, experts point out that phone calls via messenger services such as WhatsApp, Signal or Threema are also chargeable in Turkey because they run over the Internet. A reliable way to be inexpensive online are the numerous free WLAN hotspots that can be found in cafés, restaurants, at the airport or in hotels.

In order to protect yourself from high fees, the use of an ESIM is recommended that is available online before travel or abroad. This makes it possible to use different data packages without the physical change of the SIM card. Providers such as Revolut, Lufthansa and Freenet have already established special ESIM offers for travelers who offer a variety of options to avoid high roaming costs. According to Handyhase there are now also so-called Traveler SIM cards that provide additional data volume abroad.

Costs at a glance

The pricing for roaming can fluctuate drastically. In Turkey, roaming costs can be up to 10 euros per megabyte, which is why a price comparison before the trip makes sense. Providers of ESIM tariffs are diverse. Following an overview of providers and their tariffs: