Record in cell phone import in November

ANKARA - Anatolia News Agency

1,705,146 phones were imported in November, a 60 percent increase from October. Hürriyet photo

More than 1.7 million mobile phones were imported to Turkey in November, the highest figure this year, according to official data.

Data made public yesterday by the Information Technologies and Communication Institute (BTK) show that 1,705,146 phones were imported last month, indicating a 60 percent increase when compared to October.

Despite the recent hike in imports, this year has seen a trend toward a decrease in imports and an increase in local production. In 2011, 143,238 mobile phones were produced in Turkey, while the number was 277,977 for the first 11 months of 2012. However, domestic production is still far from meeting the demand.

There was also a 58.6 percent increase in the number of phones bought abroad. A total of 102,113 phones were registered in Turkey despite a recently reinstated fee of 100 Turkish Liras for the process.

The fee was one of the precautions taken to tackle Turkey’s current account deficit, but it has so far failed to discourage citizens from bringing phones from abroad.

While 920,120 customers bought mobile phones during the first 11 months of 2011, 1,020,588 did so during the same period in 2012.

The online registration system for individual import mobile phones started Nov. 1. Some 6,710 of the 133,823 mobile phones were registered on the internet between Nov. 1 and Dec. 11. Mobile phones can be registered via the BTK website.

Meanwhile, 30,328 mobile phones were reported stolen or missing to the BTK’s Information Center in the first 11 months of this year. The center has the authority to block mobile phones that are reported stolen.