Posted 17 August 2023
Lyca Mobile in Turkey .....anyone had any experience of Lyca Roaming Problems and Solutions
I bought a Lycamobile Alo Turka 15Gb sim for my wife to go to Turkey. Sim worked in the UK ok before departure....although we didnt do a deep analysis on it.
Shes had problems with it since she arrived in Turkey on her Iphone and now shes trying it on a local Xiaomi Redmi phone .
Lyca have given me the following APN settings that possibly needed changing
Name: Lycamobile
APN: data.lycamobile.co.uk
Username: lmuk
Password: plus
She can make calls and receive texts but not send texts or app notifications by text etc.
Anyone else had this problem whilst roaming with Lyca? Any miracle cures?
Thanks Mark
Shes had problems with it since she arrived in Turkey on her Iphone and now shes trying it on a local Xiaomi Redmi phone .
Lyca have given me the following APN settings that possibly needed changing
Name: Lycamobile
APN: data.lycamobile.co.uk
Username: lmuk
Password: plus
She can make calls and receive texts but not send texts or app notifications by text etc.
Anyone else had this problem whilst roaming with Lyca? Any miracle cures?
Thanks Mark
Community Updates
6 Comments
sorted byAny calls and texts whilst in Turkey are on a PAYG basis. I couldn't find out the charges to make and receive calls/ texts to UK whilst in Turkey. Did you find out what they were? I also assume that calling/texting Turkish numbers whilst in Turkey will also be chargeable. (edited)
It says somewhere the 50 mins you would be allowed to use uk->Turkey (mobiles and landlines) can be used whilst your in Turkey.
So its data and voice roaming (5gb of your 15Gb in EU/turkey) but doesnt really mention the definition of voice quantities. I wanted it mainly to use the uk number in Turkey for apps / but its connected to wi-fi most of the time. We were only texting to get it working...as such.
Looking back at the Lyca website it doesnt seem to tell you a lot .....said he who signed up for it!
When I chucked a £5 top up onto the Lyca account this plan is connected to ...texts started flowing. That was to another uk mobile (but in Turkey) to be sent for 48p
Maybe its me and I misread the whole thing ....but clear it is not.
So things that should be included in the package werent.... even though CS told me I had to top up in addition to paying £15 a month for this plan ...a few days ago
So if you solve it yourself and then tell them whats wrong ....theyre ok. For anything else forget it.
Escalated to someone Technical elsewhere with a resolution time of 24 - 48 hours possibly...... (possibly 48 days) (edited)
I'm having the same issues at the moment. LycaMobile...seem to struggle at the basics of being a phone operator! If they weren't the only UK network offering a Turkish plan that gives you calls, data, and a UK phone number, I would have gone with literally anyone else.
There are a few networks that give a Turkey bolt on for £6 or so a day, but if you are here for 2 weeks that racks up.
I got the AloTurk L plan, and before I left the UK, I used the chat to confirm that calls and texts back to the UK were unlimited and they said yes. I asked multiple times to be super clear, and it was a yes.
However, I've got the same issue as OP, where I can receive texts but not send them. I did manage to call the UK successfully, but after the debacle I've had with them, I wouldn't be surprised at all if that is coming out of my 50 Turkish minutes (no way to check by logging into their app either).
I could have sort of lived with this if I hadn't had a week of stress trying to get it even set up on my phone. To cut a long and boring story as short as possible, they seem to be entirely unable to produce eSim QR codes at the moment. I bought the plan online and chose the eSim option. Got the confirmation email, which says 'click the link below to get your eSim'...there was no link. Just a broken image symbol and 'ORDERID'. Tried to call, and was on hold for 45 mins before it hung up on me. Sent an email, never got a reply (over a week ago now). Used the live chat, and they created a case and referred it to their technical team, promising a response in 24 to 48 hours. That was a week ago. Used the chat every day to check up on it, and kept being told it is a priority, they have escalated further, and I would definitely get a reply in 24 hours, which unsurprisingly never came.
I was eventually advised to request a refund and rebuy it. I rebought it, and even used a different email provider to rule out issues, but exactly the same again. I thought it may just be a problem with the Turkey plan, so I placed an order for one of their £2.99 packages with a view to adding the Turkey plan on top. Same thing happened.
I really wanted an eSim, as it is a work trip, so I wanted my normal number to still be live so that I could see who was trying to get in touch, and then call them back on the Lyca number. Gave up on that idea after a week, and decided to just get a physical SIM card. Went on to their store locator, and found 4 shops nearby that sold them. Went to all 4, and none of them sold them. Went to my local Tesco for other reasons, and despite not being on their store locator, the Tesco mobile place did indeed have them for 99p. Managed to get that working and bought the Turkey plan on it, which works as described above.
Overall, it has put me off using them ever again. Created stress. Website has little to no info on it about the plan. The T&C's list all international plans except for Turkey. The advice pages talk about buying a free eSim on the website which doesn't exist. The customer reps give incorrect information (although I'm sure that isn't their fault), and sometimes give a generic response without reading your question.
Good luck to me in getting the various refunds I am due
You've probably guessed by now that I'm mainly here just to moan. I really needed to get that off my chest!