2 posts tagged “gadgets”

Although my phone works fine here, the Turkish Telecom bureaucracy doesn’t.

Foreigners are required by the state to register our phones if we want to use them with a local SIM card. If we use an unregistered phone for more than a couple of days the SIM card in it will be blocked. Before arriving I made sure that my phone was compatible with the Turkish cell phone system, and my first day here I tried to start the registration process. I was told by the ever-unhelpful staff of Turkcell main office for Taksim that the registration system was down, and I should come back the following day. After returning to the office for five days and receiving the same answer, I found a main office in Şişli where a kind woman gave me the low down.

It turns out that the government registration system for foreign phones hasn’t worked since December and Turkcell (along the other providers Avea and Vodafone) just have to wait and hope that the system will one day work again. Where does this leave me? Well, I can either live without a cell phone until the government gets its act together or buy an expensive phone here (that doesn’t require registration because it is sold in Turkey).

I’m eating a grumble-cake every time I want to talk or text.

Sadly, my camera doesn't seem to be working. Bear with me. I am currently scouring Istanbul for a new battery. Not always easy when we are talking about a 6 year old digital camera.

If anyone is feeling generous and really wants to see pictures, feel free to buy me a new cannon elph. I saw one on sale recently for just $150.

Cross your fingers that I will have luck, and you will get to see come of my life in the days to come.