You should definitely get a cell phone as soon as you arrive in Portugal. If you really are new to the area, you will learn very quickly that having a cell phone makes it much easier to stay in touch with family and friends and know exactly what’s going on in the area. Getting a mobile phone plan in Portuguese is a significant step for people from other countries who are visiting. Even though there have been many positive changes in the Portuguese communications market, it still gives telecommunications providers a lot of trouble.
Because of these things, planning can save you a lot of time, income, and hassle. Here are a few good ways to get a phone for your new life in Portugal.
Can You Use Your Mobile in Portugal?
Portugal’s mobile phone network is based on the GSM standard, which is also used in many other European countries.
Because of this, most tourists and ex-pats will be able to use their personal phones as soon as they get there and start talking to people. If you are visiting Portugal from a place or country that uses the CDMA network, your mobile device will usually work.
Portugal’s 4G network is very advanced, and most of the country can now get 4G or 4G+ service or is covered by it. In this group are the island countries of Madeira and the Azores. Portugal is getting the most 5G connections, but most of them are still in the country’s biggest cities.
But you might find that Portugal’s connections aren’t as fast as those in other European countries. It’s also important to know that the way people connect to the internet in Portugal varies a lot.
It would help if you looked into your mobile network options beforehand and the best places for a tourist to live in Portugal so you don’t end up in a place without service.
Mobile Network Operators in Portugal
Don’t fool yourself into thinking that you can stay connected as long as possible without a local mobile plan just because wifi is so standard these days and there are so many apps that can help you talk to people online. It won’t be relatively that easy.
At the very least, these cell networks are very important in Portugal! Let’s get to know them more.
MEO
MEO is the largest mobile network in Portugal right now. Also, about 4.1 million people use it daily, making it the most popular. As the most prominent phone company in Portugal, MEO’s signal reaches almost the whole country. MEO Portugal has four different prepaid plans that include data services: the M Móvel Plans (combo), the +Internet Plans, the Mobile Broadband Plans (data for a data-only SIM card), and the +Social Net Add-Ons.
Vodafone
Vodafone is the second largest telecommunications company in the country because the data it offers is so good. This is one of the best things about the company’s local SIM card for people who use the internet a lot. No matter where in the country they are, Vodafone customers can use the service to watch high-definition video streams, use apps for transportation, stay in touch with people in other countries, and more.
NOS
NOS, which is the third largest mobile network in the country, has excellent service and low rates. It has the best coverage in Portugal and also the fastest speeds. No one can argue that NOS is much friendlier and more accessible to reach than either MEO or Vodafone. The packages this company offers are also a great deal for the money. NOS Portugal has a total of four prepaid plans with data options: the Payment with Loading Plans (combo), the Monthly Internet Packages, the Kangaroo Tariffs (data for a data-only SIM card), and the Data Add-Ons.
NOS has also won the Speedtest Awards for 5G mobile network speed during Q1-Q2 2022. To win this award, NOS achieved a Speed Score of 305.40, with median download speeds of 362.84 Mbps and median upload speeds of 34.12 Mbps.
If you compare their cheap deals to the expensive plans of other networks, you’ll save a lot of money.
WTF
WTF Portugal is a sub-brand of NOS Portugal that is aimed at young people (or simply WTF). You must be at least 25 years old to use one of these SIM cards. Since WTF doesn’t have a network for mobile phones, it uses the NOS Portugal network. You can only get Mobile Tariffs as a prepaid plan with data from WTF. Also included in this package are minutes, text messages, and data (5G NR access).
Even though their brand isn’t the best, I’ve been using them as my main mobile service provider for a while now. It has an unlimited amount of data for many uses, which makes it a strong competitor in the market. Their customer service is of a very high level.
Yorn
Vodafone made the Yorn brand for its young and student customers, and it has a number of discounts and special deals. The only prepaid option for Yorn users that comes with data is the Yorn X Tariff. This package includes voice minutes, text messages, and data (including access to 5G NR).
With your free Yorn X 10GB SIM card, you can get the best service and data in Portugal.
NOWO
NOWO is a young communications company based in Lisbon. It opened in 2016. This company offers various services, such as mobile communications, wired and wireless Internet, TV, fixed telephones, etc. The problem is that the company can’t wire the Internet to any part of the country. Because of this, the site has a place where you can check if wired Internet, which many Portuguese prefer, is available in your zip code.
Is there Free Wi-Fi connectivity in Portugal
Yes. Wi-Fi lets you connect to the Internet for free in many public places, like airports, train stations, plazas, libraries, and more. Moreover, wireless Internet access is now available in many public places, like cafes and restaurants. Among these is the Internet. Sometimes, but not often, trains and buses in Portugal may have free Wi-Fi (especially on the trains).
Several metro lines have stops where you can get free WiFi at every stop. The app is called ON-FI, the tutorials are in Portuguese, and you don’t have to sign up or click “Like” on Facebook to use it. By clicking “conectar,” you will be taken to a screen with the Facebook logo. Wi-Fi is also available at most cafés and restaurants. Wi-Fi is available for free in many public places, like libraries and airports.
Prepaid vs. mobile contracts, Which one Better?
In Portugal, there are two main ways to get a working cell phone connection: (1) buying a prepaid SIM card or (2) signing a mobile phone contract.
When traveling, a SIM card is often the quickest and easiest way to get a local phone number and some data. Also, there is no long-term commitment that you have to make. Prepaid SIM cards in Portugal usually come with a set amount of talk time, text messages, and data storage. How much you get depends on how much you’re willing to spend. But if you want to, it’s easy to raise your limit, which gives you a lot of room to move.
If, on the other hand, you plan to stay in Portugal for a long time, you might want to sign up for a Portuguese mobile phone contract (tarifário de telemóvel pós-pago). In Portugal, mobile subscriptions are an excellent choice for many tourists because they are cheaper than prepaid SIMs for calls, texts, and internet use. Under these contracts, you get a certain number of minutes, messages, and data for each.
Depending on the tariff you choose, you may also be able to get extra benefits for an extra fee. Remember, though, that in Portugal, loyalty periods (perodo de fidelizaço) for cell phone contracts usually last for 24 months. You can also sign up for a contract with no loyalty period, but it will cost you more.
Mobile Contracts in Portugal
In Portugal, you can choose a SIM-only plan or a plan that includes a device and spreads the cost out over the length of your contract. The average contract length is 24 months, but some network operators offer shorter or longer terms and even contracts with no loyalty period. These may cost more, but they may be the best choice for you. When comparing contracts, be wary of operators whose pricing structures are hard to understand.
How You can get a mobile phone contract in Portugal
In Portugal, it is easy to sign a contract for a cell phone. You can do this online or at a telecommunications store near you. The extensive networks have stores in many cities and towns across the country. But if you want to do it in person, it’s possible that the salespeople won’t speak English. So, you might want to brush up on the basics of the Portuguese language. Because of this, many people who live abroad choose to join online.
Without the following information, your cell phone contract can’t be set up:
- Valid ID
- Proof of address
- NIF (número de identificação fiscal)
- Specifics about a bank account
Get your NIF during the first week you’re in Portugal if you want to get a Portuguese cell phone plan. Payments are usually made by automatic collection or direct debit, but this may not always be true and may depend on your provider. If you already have a bank account in Portugal, though, you may be able to skip many steps.
Portuguese SIM cards and phone numbers
You will need to get a Portuguese phone number sometime during your time in Portugal. You’ll need it to log in to your Portuguese bank account and sign up for everything, from public services to dental care. No one likes to call an international number.
Portuguese SIM cards
Portuguese Phone Numbers
Portuguese cell phone numbers have nine numbers, with the first number being nine and followed by seven more numbers. To call a Portuguese cell phone from outside of Portugal, you must use the international dialing code for Portugal, which is 351. You can also call emergency services, like the European-wide service 112, from your cell phone, no matter if your SIM card or service works in Portugal. Keep this list of emergency phone numbers for Portugal close at hand.
What’s Best for you then?
Most of the time, the 4G network strength of all mobile internet providers in Portugal is about the same. All of Portugal’s famous tourist spots have strong 4G signals, but if you need 5G service, you’ll need a NOS prepaid sim card. But because the prices in Portugal are so high, it’s not my go-to sim card when I’m there.
People who go to Portugal in 2022 should get an MEO SIM card. For €5, you can get 5 GB of data, 500 minutes, and free roaming in the EU. No matter where in Europe you go, your MEO prepaid sim card will work. However, they must be refilled every week.
In case, You need to Repair a mobile phone in Portugal
After whatever happened to your phone, you should get it fixed right away. A good thing about Portugal is that there are a lot of places to fix things. You can check online to see if the nearby store offers repair services since some operators and manufacturers offer this service in-store. You could also take your broken phone to one of the many places that sell and fix mobile phones.
Make sure to back up your phone before you go on vacation. Get a case for your phone if you want it to work still after you drop it. Also, if your phone is very new or expensive, it’s a good idea to get the insurance that will replace it if it gets lost, stolen, or broken.
How to Make a complaint about a mobile operator in Portugal
If you have problems with your network service provider in Portugal, you can file a complaint with each company separately.
Use this if you’ve had trouble or don’t think the service you got was good enough. If you have a complaint, you can find out what to do on their website. But you might want to brush up on your Portuguese before you go. You can file a formal complaint with Portugal’s telecommunications authority, ANACOM, about the operator. You can find out how to talk to the agency about a problem. You can also find information about what forms you need to fill out and send in.
Lastly
In conclusion, the Portuguese mobile market is one of the most active in Southern Europe. This is because of the fierce competition between the many carriers, price cuts, and promotions that vary from operator to operator but always aim to give their customers the best.
You might not have a SIM card when you get to Portugal, or you might not know which one to choose because they all seem to do pretty much the same things for about the same prices.
