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Discover how to access the Internet in Portugal during your holidays

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As time goes by, our “need” to access the Internet increases, even during our holidays. In this article, I’m going to show you how to access the Internet in Portugal, during your holidays, without spending a fortune.

You can also check our other travel tips!

Internet in Portugal – Providers

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If your plan doesn’t include having internet in Portugal or if you have already used the available data, you can purchase a 3/4G dongle or a SIM card, that you can put in your smartphone, at one of the three Portuguese providers’ stores (MEO, Vodafone, NOS).

Vodafone

Do you want to have access to the internet but you don’t need to make phone calls nor send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a SIM card for tablets and PC. You can also use this card in your smartphone, being the only difference to a normal SIM card the fact that you can’t make any phone calls nor send SMS.

If you go to a Fnac store or a Vodafone store, ask for a  “Vodafone Go” SIM card. This card costs around 15 € and gives you access to 30 GB that you can use during 15 days.

If you stay in Portugal more than 15 days, you can recharge your SIM card. The minimum charge is 10 € and gives you access to the internet for five additional days. For every 5 € additional recharge, you’ll have access to the internet for five additional days (always with a limit of 30 GB).

Do you want to have access to the internet and have the possibility to make phone calls and send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a normal SIM card for your smartphone. When you buy it, ask the retail adviser to choose the plan “Vodafone Directo” which will allow you to make phone calls and send SMS at a cost of 9.9 cents per minute or SMS.

Afterwards, charge your SIM card with the desired amount (check prices below) and choose an “internet pack”.

  • Aditivo 250 MB: 5.49 € per month
  • Aditivo 500 MB: 7.49 € per month
  • Aditivo 1 GB:  10.49 € per month
  • Aditivo 2 GB: 14.99 € per month
  • Aditivo 5 GB: 20.49 € per month

Information: charge with a little more money if you want to make phone calls or send SMS.

If you exceed the limit of available MB/GB, you can still access the internet at a cost of 1.03 € for every 50 MB.

You also have the possibility to recharge your SIM card again with the desired “internet pack” by calling the provider or going to a Vodafone store.

At the end of the month, you should deactivate the “internet pack” at a Vodafone store, this way you’ won’t have to pay the following month.

MEO

Do you want to have access to the internet but you don’t need to make phone calls nor send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a SIM card for tablets and PC. You can also use this card in your smartphone, being the only difference to a normal SIM card the fact that you can’t make any phone calls nor send SMS.

If you go to a Fnac store or a MEO store, ask for an  “Enjoy” SIM card. This card costs 15 € and gives you access to 30 GB that you can use during 15 days.

If you stay in Portugal more than 15 days, you can recharge your SIM card. The minimum charge is 10 € and gives you access to the internet for five additional days (20 GB).

Do you want to have access to the internet and have the possibility to make phone calls and send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a normal SIM card for your smartphone. When you buy it, ask the retail adviser to choose the plan “Start” which will allow you to make phone calls and send SMS at a cost of 31 cents per minute or 12.7 cents per SMS.

Afterwards, charge your SIM card with the desired amount (check prices below) and choose an “internet pack”.

  • 250 MB: 3.99€ per month
  • 500 MB: 6.99€ per month
  • 1 GB:  9.99€ per month
  • 5 GB: 14.99€ per month

Information: charge with a little more money if you want to make phone calls or send SMS.

If you exceed the limit of available MB/GB, you can still access the internet at a cost of 1.50 € for every 30 MB.

You also have the possibility to recharge your SIM card again with the desired “internet pack” by calling the provider or going to a MEO store.

At the end of the month, you should deactivate the “internet pack” at a MEO store, this way you won’t have to pay the following month.

NOS

Do you want to have access to the internet but you don’t need to make phone calls nor send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a SIM card for tablets and PC. You can also use this card in your smartphone, being the only difference to a normal SIM card the fact that you can’t make any phone calls nor send SMS.

If you go to a Fnac store or a NOS store, ask for a “Kanguru” internet SIM card. This card costs 15 € and gives you unlimited access to the internet for 15 days.

If you stay in Portugal more than 15 days, you can recharge your SIM card. The minimum charge is 5 € and gives you access to the internet for two additional days or 500 MB for 60 days.

Contrary to the other internet providers, NOS offers two alternatives for this SIM card: if you choose “Livre S” you’ll have access to the internet for 60 days with a limit of data traffic that depends on your charge:

  • 500 MB: 5 €
  • 1 GB: 10 €
  • 3 GB: 15 €
  • 5 GB: 20 €
  • 7 GB: 25 €
  • 9 GB: 30 €

If you choose the option “Livre XL” you’ll have unlimited access to the internet during a certain number of days that depends on your charge:

  • 2 days: 5 €
  • 5 days: 10 €
  • 15 days: 15 €
  • 20 days: 20 €
  • 25 days: 25 €
  • 30 days: 30 €

Do you want to have access to the internet and have the possibility to make phone calls and send SMS?

My suggestion is that you purchase a normal SIM card for your smartphone. When you buy it, ask the retail adviser to choose the plan “Livres Base” which will allow you to make phone calls and send SMS at a cost of 9.9 cents per minute / SMS.

Afterwards, charge your SIM card with the desired amount (check prices below) and choose an “internet pack”.

  • 250 MB: 3.99 € per month
  • 500 MB: 6.99 € per month
  • 1 GB:  9.99 € per month

Information: charge with a little more money if you want to make phone calls or send SMS.

If you exceed the limit of available MB/GB, you can still access the internet at a cost of 1.50€ for every 30 MB.

You also have the possibility to recharge your SIM card again with the desired “internet pack” by calling the provider or going to a NOS store.

At the end of the month, you should deactivate the “internet pack” at a NOS store, this way you won’t have to pay the following month.

Which internet provider should you choose?

Don’t choose an internet provider based only on the plans, choose it according to the best 3/4G coverage in the area you’re going to spend most of your time.

Click here to find out the network coverage in Portugal for each provider.

If, after verification, you realise that the three providers offer 3/4G coverage in the area you’re going to stay, then you should:

  • Ask for a SIM card for your tablet / PC in a Vodafone or NOS store (depending on your choice: internet access x days or x GB)
  • If you want to make phone calls or send SMS, use your mobile phone. With the end of roaming fees in the EU, making a phone call or sending an SMS became cheaper. The other possibility is to use Skype, Facebook or Whatsapp to communicate with whoever you want.

Are you going to visit Portugal ? Then don’t hesitate to book your hotel room, your car or the best activities by clicking the links below. This way you are helping me in the development of my blog and I’ll be able to offer you free tips and travel guides so that you can better prepare your visit to Portugal. Thank you!

Book here your Hotel
Book here your Car
Book here the best Activities

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