Fixed and mobile internet services in Turkey – all you need to know

Wi-Fi is usually available for free throughout Turkey, especially in large cities and tourist destinations.

Well it can be said that all hotels, residences, rental apartments and most of the care and shopping centers have access to the Internet Wifi.

In addition, free use of the Internet is provided in many restaurants, cafes, bars, beach cafes and some vehicles such as buses, trains and intercity boats for the welfare of citizens and tourists.

Therefore, you will have free WiFi for at least a few hours a day, which will be enough to meet the needs of some travelers in Turkey.

However, if you are planning to immigrate and stay in Turkey for a long time whether for work or study, you will need a stable internet connection of your choice.

In this article, we will study the state of the Internet in Turkey and compare the best Internet service providers in this country.

Fixed Internet in Turkey

If you are considering a contract to get the internet in your place of residence in Turkey, you may find that most of the information, customer service, and support websites are available in Turkish.

On the other hand, many small ISPs in Turkey come and go quickly, which is why there is so much outdated and confusing information about them.

If you need a permanent internet connection after buying a house or apartment in Turkey, it is recommended to contact one of the internet service providers in Turkey or visit their branches directly.

When receiving the Internet subscription, some companies may ask you to present your Turkish residence card, but the residence card is not a required document to get online in Turkey, and it is sufficient to provide a passport for foreign citizens.

The main internet providers in Turkey include the following companies:

• Turksat
• TTNET (Türk Telekom
• Turkcell Super Online
• D-Smart D-Smart
• Turknet

All of these companies offer ADSL connections.

Connections are available via high-speed fiber-optic cables in all major cities.

These major fixed internet operators are also represented in Turkey in almost all shopping malls, as well as on the main streets of various cities.

You can apply for internet services in Turkey for monthly or yearly services.

If you are not planning to stay in Turkey for a long time and won’t use the Internet much, you can use the monthly service.

For example, if you are planning to stay in Turkey for one month and want to have internet for the same month, it is recommended to use the monthly subscription services.

Note that with a monthly subscription, the cost of the service increases. Additionally, you have to think about the cost of buying a modem.

The monthly internet subscription in Turkey is only suitable for you if you’re gonna stay in Turkey for a few months and then leave the country.

Even if you will be traveling between different cities in Turkey, such as 6 months in Istanbul and 6 months in Ankara, the monthly subscription is still not recommended. It is better to use the annual subscription.

By getting an annual subscription, you can use the internet service for one or two years.

Most Turks use this method because it is cheaper and you will get a free modem.

If you get an annual subscription to your current home and move from it, you can contact your ISP to get your internet connection in the new location.

Even if you change the city during the time of your internet subscription in Turkey, you can still use your previous subscription and the company will transfer it to you.

Fixed internet subscription cost in Turkey

As mentioned, there are many operators in Turkey who provide home internet service to customers.Costs and tariffs vary from operator to operator.

The reason is partly due to the difference in the quality of the services of these companies.

The point to keep in mind is that in your neighborhood, not all ISPs may be able to provide services.

Therefore, you must first go to the representative offices of these companies to check it based on the address.

As mentioned earlier, home internet contracts in Turkey are usually monthly or 1-2 years, which makes it cheaper to buy an annual subscription.

If you purchase a one-year subscription, you will have to pay for your use of the Internet, whether you use it or not, within a year, and you will have to pay a penalty if you want to cancel your subscription agreement.

However, you do not have to pay a fine if you transfer your contract to someone else.

Fixed internet subscription process in Turkey

The general process of getting internet at home in Turkey is that the applicant first needs to visit the sales offices of different operators or contact them to make sure the companies in the neighborhood and apartment complex offer internet service.

Then, by comparing the tariffs and other terms of the ISP, one must choose and sign the contract.

Foreigners in Turkey must present a passport or residence permit card to purchase a fixed internet service. (Some companies do not require a residence card).

Internet service is usually available from one week to 10 working days after signing the contract, as the relevant company technician is sent to the person’s place of residence and delivers the fixed Internet during modem delivery.

Once the internet is activated, the invoice will be emailed to the person on a monthly basis.

It is possible to pay the bill online or by visiting the representative offices of the same company.

Mobile Internet for Turkish SIMs

By purchasing a SIM card from a SIM card operator in Turkey, you can use mobile Internet connections and connect your device, mobile phone or tablet to the Internet.

SIM card companies and operators in Turkey include Turkcell, Turk Telekom and Vodafone, each of which offers different packages and tariffs for mobile Internet users.

These companies also allow customers to use data-only SIM cards that use the Internet only.

Note that in order to buy a permanent SIM card in Turkey, you must have succeeded in obtaining a residence permit in Turkey, otherwise you must use SIM cards with a limited duration of activity.

It is worth noting that using an internet SIM card in Turkey is not affordable at all.

So if you are staying in Turkey for a longer period of time than a tourist trip and you rent or buy a house, it is better to have the Internet for your place of residence and not use the Internet chip while you are at home.

MI-FI devices in Turkey

MI-FI is a modem-like device that offers a dedicated, secure, and high-quality Wi-Fi service.

Most Mi-Fi devices work with a built-in SIM card and have the same functions as your mobile phone.

If you have been to Turkey on a tour, you are probably familiar with these devices. Some tour leaders use these portable modems to connect travelers to the Internet on urban and long-distance trips.

The main advantage of using these devices is that they provide you with high-quality Internet. But the main problem is the high price of these devices.

These devices cost much more than buying a Turkish SIM card, and in addition, you must have an additional device with you.

Different Turkish internet companies charge different fees for renting or buying these devices.

If you intend to rent this device for your stay in Turkey, you must pay a deposit so that the company will not be damaged if the device is lost, damaged or stolen.

Internet cafes in Turkey

Internet cafes are popular in Turkey, especially in the big cities of this country.

These cafes offer cheap internet at an hourly rate and usually provide snacks such as drinks and coffee to customers.

These cafes are especially popular among young people in Turkey, as many of them use them as meeting and hangout places.

Since computers are public in Internet cafés, you should refrain from sending any banking or commercial information when using them.

Therefore, Internet cafes are great places for tourists to check their email and surf the web, but if you want to stay in Turkey for a long time, you have to access the Internet at your place of residence or from Turkish SIM cards.

Internet speed in Turkey

According to data from Speedtest website for SIM card internet, the download speed is 34.79Mbps and the upload speed is 14.57 Mbps, and the Internet speed of the SIM card in this country ranks 51st in the world.

For ADSL connections in Turkey, the download speed is 28.89 Mbps and the upload speed is 8.01 Mbps, and the fixed internet speed in this country ranks 102nd in the world.

The fastest fixed broadband provider among the best Turkish ISPs in the last months of 2020 is as follows:

Turksat	32.85
Turknet	27.56
Turkcell	22.47
Vodafone	18.17
Turk Telekom	13.99

The fastest mobile internet operator among the best SIM card providers in the country in the last months of 2020 is as follows:

41.98	Turkcell
39.30	Turk Telekom
25.01	Vodafone

Be careful when connecting to public WiFi in Turkey

Due to the fact that free Wi-Fi is available in public places in Turkey, be careful about personal and banking information over unsecured wireless internet in public places, unless you are sure of its security.

Many public (especially free) wireless connections can put your device at risk for hackers and theft of personal information.

Frequently asked questions about the Internet in Turkey

What is the cost of fixed internet in Turkey?

The costs and tariffs for subscribing and using the services of the different ISPs that provide home and fixed internet in Turkey vary according to the quality of their services.

However, all of these companies offer cheaper rates for annual subscriptions than for monthly subscriptions.

What is the internet speed in Turkey?

For SIM internet, the download speed is 34.79Mbps and the upload speed is 14.57Mbps.

For fixed connections in Turkey, the download speed is 28.89 Mbps and the upload speed is 8.01 Mbps.

What is the fastest fixed internet company in Turkey?

Turksat Kablo is the fastest home internet service provider in Turkey according to service statistics until the end of 2020.

Is it possible to transfer a Turkish fixed internet subscription to a new address?

Yeah. If your ISP offers its services at your new address, you can move your modem to a new location and continue using the Internet service.

Is it possible to transfer a Turkish fixed internet subscription to a new person?

Yeah. You can transfer your fixed internet subscription service in Turkey to another person.