Media

Media and Telecommunications

Portugal’s media and telecommunications market is modern and up-to-date with many different media organisations.

Telephones and mobile phones

Telephone service in Portugal is mainly provided by Portugal Telecom (PT) and telephone communications are in general of a high standard.
There are other companies that provide telephone services, but the line rentals are still owned by Portugal Telecom. Novis or World Telecom are examples of alternative providers.
Portugal Telecom also has a separate department called Portugal telecom Empresas for business and corporate telecommunication, but note that applications can only be made if you have proof of existence of the business.
Public telephones are available in all Post offices and most towns and calls can be made with cash or special phone cards which you can buy in the Post office and most newspaper agents.

The mobile coverage in Portugal is more widespread than fixed-line coverage, and there are three main mobile phone providers; Vodaphone, TMN and Optimus.
You can get mobile phone services either on contract or pay-as-you- go and it is easy to put credit on your phone either directly from a bank account, via the telephone, or by paying cash in one of the many mobile phone shops or at most newsagents.

Some useful numbers:

For calls out of Portugal; dial 00 followed by the country code and the phone number

For calls into Portugal; dial 00 351 (the Portuguese country code) followed by
the Portuguese local telephone number – 00351 +

For Portuguese Directory Enquiries – Tel: 118

For International Enquiries – Tel: 177

Portugal Telecom Customer Care – Tel: 16200

Internet

About 37% of all households in Portugal have high-speed internet connection and about 80% of all companies have internet access.

There are many internet providers in Portugal such as: Kanguru, Novis, PTWiFi and Vodafone.

You have to be a resident to be able to subscribe to an internet service in Portugal, but many cafés and many post offices offer internet services against payment. Also many hotels, shopping centres and conference centres have special internet areas where you can pay to use the internet often on an hourly basis.

Television

Portugal has both national and private TV channels, but most Portuguese watch television through cable two of the main cable operators being TV TEL and TV Cabo. There are 4 terrestrial TV channels; RTP1 was the first television channel in Portugal and has been broadcasting since 1957. RTP2 followed some years after and in the early 1990s private commercial like SIC and TVI channels were launched. Portuguese state television is funded from taxes and additional licence fees are not necessary. Sky TV is also available in Portugal. To watch Sky TV you must have a Sky viewing card and a digital receiver.

Newspapers and magazines

Portugal has many newspapers and magazine; dailies, weeklies and monthlies and can be bought in any newsagent or supermarket.
You can also find many foreign newspapers and magazines in major cities and resort areas; a large selection of English speaking newspapers are to be found as well as newspapers and magazines directed at expats living in Portugal, for example The Resident or Essential Portugal. These newspapers and magazines can normally be found in newsagents or at restaurants and hotels.