What are the best SIM and eSIM options for mobile data in Istanbul, including phones without eSIM support?

From messages by 2 participants in 2 sources · Last activity: 4 days ago

TL;DR

In Istanbul, travelers can use a regular Turkish SIM, an eSIM, or a low-cost eSIM adapter for phones without native eSIM support. One recent report found Trip.com data service reliable, while T2’s free roaming was unreliable for messaging apps.

What the community said

The main connectivity options for a Turkey trip are a regular SIM, an eSIM, and an eSIM adapter for devices without eSIM capability. Compare plans before buying, as lower-cost options were also mentioned.

17 days ago ↗ link in original

If your phone does not support eSIM, a physical eSIM adapter can be inserted into the handset to use an eSIM plan. A traveler in Istanbul reported using these inexpensive adapters in two phones.

38 days ago eSIM adapter

For mobile data in Istanbul, one traveler reported that a data plan purchased through Trip.com worked well during their stay.

38 days ago Trip.com

Do not rely on T2’s free roaming as your main connection in Istanbul: a traveler reported problems accessing Telegram and WhatsApp that persisted even when using VPNs.

38 days ago T2 roaming