Internet and Mobile Plans

The lay of the land

Portugal has world-class fibre coverage — over 90% of homes can get gigabit speeds, often for €30–€45/month. The catch: the dominant operators (MEO, NOS, Vodafone) push aggressive 24-month bundles and make the no-loyalty alternatives hard to find. Knowing the right phrase to use unlocks much better deals.

The big three

MEO, NOS and Vodafone dominate fixed and mobile.

• MEO (Altice) — strongest fibre footprint, especially outside metros
• NOS — competitive bundles, strong TV channel line-up
• Vodafone — best mobile network for travel and roaming

Cheaper alternatives worth knowing

These cost less and rarely require loyalty contracts:

• NOWO — fixed internet/TV with shorter or zero loyalty
• Lyca, WTF, Yorn, Uzo — prepaid mobile with generous data, no contract
• Digi (entered Portugal in 2024) — disrupting prices on both fixed and mobile
• MEO Go, NOS WTF — the no-loyalty arms of the big three

How to choose your speed and bundle

Gigabit fibre is overkill for most households — 500 Mbps handles 4K streaming on multiple devices easily. TV bundles are great if you watch Portuguese channels and Premier League / Liga Portugal football; otherwise streaming-only via a smart TV plus a 200–500 Mbps line is usually cheaper.

Avoiding the 24-month trap

If you do sign a loyalty contract, read the cancellation clause: leaving early triggers a penalty of 50–80% of the remaining months. Your three legal escape routes:

• Move abroad (need a flight ticket and proof of new address) — providers must release you
• Move to an address the provider doesn't cover — also a free exit
• Material price increase — you have 30 days to cancel without penalty after any unilateral price change

Mobile data and roaming

Most Portuguese plans come with abundant data and 'free' streaming on social apps. Roaming inside the EU is free under EU 'Roam Like at Home' rules, including in Madeira and the Azores. Outside the EU, daily roaming bundles from MEO/NOS/Vodafone are notoriously expensive — Holafly or Airalo eSIMs almost always beat them.

Transferring an existing number

Number portability between Portuguese carriers is free and takes 1–2 working days. Bringing a foreign number to Portugal isn't possible — you'll need a new Portuguese number. Many expats keep both: a foreign eSIM for old contacts and a Portuguese SIM for daily life.