Aran Tankut - Rick Steves Istanbul

If you want to make an international call, follow these steps:

Dial the international access code (00 if youre calling from Turkey, 011 from the US or Canada).

Dial the country code of the country youre calling (see European calling chart later in this chapter).

Dial the area code ( without its initial 0) and the local number.

Calling from the US to Turkey: To call the recommended Obelisk Hotel from the US, dial 011 (the US international access code), 90 (Turkeys country code), 212 (Istanbuls area code without the initial zero), then 517-7173 (the hotels local number).

Calling from any European country to the US: To call Ricks office in Edmonds, Washington, dial 00 (Europes international access code), 1 (the US country code), 425 (Edmonds area code), and 771-8303.

Note: You might see a + in front of a European number. When dialing the number, replace the + with the international access code of the country youre calling from (00 from Europe, 011 from the US or Canada).

To make local or international calls from public phones, youll need a prepaid phone card. There are two different types: insertable and international. Either type of phone card works only in Turkey. If you have a still-live card at the end of your trip, give it to another traveler.

Insertable Phone Cards: These cardscalled TT Smart Cards or Smart Telefon Kart (teh-leh-fohn kahr-tuh)can only be used at public pay phones. The cards come in four denominations of units (kontrs): 50 units (3.75 TL), 100 units (7.50 TL), 200 units (15 TL), and 350 units (19 TL). Be aware that kontrs are not equivalent to minutes; ask how many units a call will take. To make a call with this card, find a public phone with a display screen, which youll use to pick your language, then insert the card into a slot in the phone. While you can use these cards to call anywhere in the world, theyre only a good deal for making quick local calls from a phone booth.

International Phone Cards: Called TT Kart (teh-teh kahrt), these are the cheapest way to make international calls from anywhere in Turkey (generally pennies per minute, www.turktelekom.com.tr ). They can also be used for local calls, and they work from any type of phone, including your hotel-room phone.

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You can buy the cards at post offices, Trk Telekom shops, mobile-phone dealers (that also sell tram and bus tickets), most newsstands, and at food kiosks near phone booths. Ask the clerk which of the various brands has the best rates for calls to America. Cards come in three denominations: 5, 10, and 25 TL. Buy a lower denomination in case the card is a dud.

To use a card, scratch it to reveal your code and dial the access phone number. (If you have a choice between calling an access number thats local or toll-free, choose the toll-free numberthese usually start with 0800.) Then follow the prompts. If the prompts are in Turkish, wait to see if the announcement also follows in English. If not, experiment: Dial your code, followed by the pound sign (#), then the number, then the pound sign again, and so on, until it works. When youre using an international phone card to make a local call in Turkey, you must dial the area code even if youre calling across the street.

US Calling Cards: These cards, such as the ones offered by AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint, are the worst option. Youll save a lot of money by using an international phone card youve purchased in Turkey.