www.worldpayphones.com

 

Europe

Turkey
 
gallery
Turkish Pay Telephone left, a public phone that takes phone cards. Note the pictogram instructions. You can also get instructions in Turkish, English, French or German from the scrolling LCD display (which now says "Please don't foul this area" (ie, keep it clean).
Public telephoneA row of public telephone boothes
There are public phone booths located all over the towns, especially around the entrance of the post offices. There are also regular phones at the post offices. A phone card is necessary to operate public phones; phone cards are for sale at the post office or from street vendors designated by the post office. Other street vendors and newspaper stands may also sell the phone cards, but prices are frequently more than at the post office. Phone cards come in 30, 60, or 100 units of credit; the time-equivalent for each unit depends on whether it is a local or international call. Simply insert the phone card, dial, talk, hang up and retrieve the card. There are no slots on pay phones for credit cards. For long calls, the phones at the post office may be more suitable, since one is not confined to a phone card. Simply talk and pay the amount due to the post office clerk without the hassle of changing cards. These phones are available only when the post offices are open. The charges for both kinds of phones are exactly the same. In larger cities, there are phone/fax centers where one can more conveniently make long calls and send faxes. In these offices, a customer can use a phone for whatever length of time and then pay cash to a cashier. This is a more expensive option than using a phone card.
Turks are on the phone all the time--usually on mobile phones that use the GSM standard (900Mhz and 1800Mhz bands).

If you don't have a GSM mobile phone (cep telefonu, 'pocket phone'), you'll probably use a public pay phone. Look for public phones near post offices, hotels, transportation termini (bus and train stations), shopping areas, and major public squares.

Public phones operated by Türk Telekom have pictograph instructions. Push a button for written instructions in English, French, German or Turkish in the scrolling display (which says "Please don't foul this area" {ie, keep it clean} in the photo to the right).

Public phones operate on phone cards (telefon karti, telekart) that you buy from post offices, street kiosks and other places advertising Telekart Satilir (Telekarts for Sale).

Click here for Türk Telekom's international phone-call prices.

It's sometimes easier to use a kontürlü telefon, one with a usage-unit meter attached: you make a call and pay in cash for units used. These are found at street kiosks and other small businesses. Be sure to ask the rate per unit before you call. Rates vary: shop around, pay less!

Local (in-city) call: Sehiriçi ara (sheh-HEER-ee-chee ah-rah)

Long-distance/Trunk call: Sehirlerarasi ara (sheh-heer-LEHR-ah-rah-suh ah-rah)

International call: Milletlerarasi ara (mee-leht-LEHR-ah-rah-suh ah-rah) (Rates)

You may pay less by using an Internet calling service such as BigZoo.
Schlumberger
history
Old phone tokens-
Issued
Obverse Word 'PTT'
Reverse Words 'telefon jetonu'
Remarks issued in two diameters