Portuguese Phone Networks

Telephone services have been available in Portugal since 1877, and throughout the years the area has seen tremendous growth in regards to telecommunications. The people of Portugal are proud of their technologically advanced landline and mobile phone systems and the networks providing service.

Most villages, towns and cities in Portugal have a highly developed phone structure, including telephone boxes and landline phones. Many of the public shops, cafes and post offices have a public phone available for use with coin or credit card payment. Portugal Telecom is the national supplier of both commercial and domestic landlines. This is the company to contact when setting up an installation of a landline in your home. The installation process is easy and Portugal Telecom usually has a line installed within a week of the order being made.

Mobile phone services has become a flourishing business in Portugal and over 11 million people in the country now own and use a mobile phone. Some companies have found this to be a great way to test out new telecommunication technology.

There are three key companies involved with providing mobile phone services in Portugal. They are Vodafone, Optimus and TMN, which is a subsidiary of Portugal Telecom. People have the option of taking up a contract for their phones, paying a certain amount monthly for services provided, or they can opt for a “pay as you go” plan, topping up when minutes are running low. Sim cards may also be purchased separately and placed into pre-owned phones.

It is highly recommended that people visiting and remaining in Portugal for a lengthy amount of time consider purchasing a mobile phone. The cost of calling internationally or using a foreign cellular phone in Portugal can be very high. Purchasing a “pay as you go” phone and topping up is easy and does not involve a big commitment. When calling a mobile phone or landline in Portugal, the international calling code is 351, but this must have the prefix 00. You then drop the first 0 of the area code or mobile number to make sure you are calling the right one.

Internet phones have also become a hot commodity as technology has developed. Using these phones allows people to stay in contact with friends and family at a much lower cost than using a landline or cell phone. The two top providers for these services are Skype and Voip Stunt.

While there are still only a handful of landline and mobile phone service providers in Portugal, business is booming and growing in leaps and bounds.