Internet on smartphones - Lisboa

[AHKS]

Dear Everyone,

We're a young Danish couple who's moving to Lisboa in a couple of weeks and we've come across this great expat forum. One of our concerns, which we havent been able to find answers to yet, is internet access(3G) on smartphones. Maybe someone knows about the possibilities and prices? We are also going to need wireless internet connection on our computers.

Thanks for your time :-)

[canoeman]

Free wi-fi available all over, major players here for Mobiles TMN (PT), Vodafone, Optimus and also wireless internet. 4G being rapidly installed especially in major areas.
If your mobiles are unlocked or take dual SIM Cards that's all you'll need to buy, it's just finding the best service for your needs.

[pintarroxo]

i'm also interested in this. i'd guess the best deals are for post-paid iphone plans? and i'm hoping to buy a usb dongle for laptop internet access.

[notlongnow]

There's a lot less benefit to going on a contract in Portgal compared to the UK, where it means you get a heavily subsidised handset.

On PAYG I use Vodafone's Vita Total Smartphone in my iPhone that gives me 500mb of data per month as long as I top up 20 euros every month.

[AHKS]

Notlongnow:

"On PAYG I use Vodafone's Vita Total Smartphone in my iPhone that gives me 500mb of data per month as long as I top up 20 euros every month"

Do you pay 20 euros for data only or does this amount include anything else(Sms, calls...)?

Thanks for all your replies :-)

[AHKS]

Pintaroxo, do you know if the USB dongle works well in Lisboa? And what about the costs?

[canoeman]

This is Vodafone site Vodafone Portugal ? telemóveis, internet, televisão

[notlongnow]

No, on that tariff I still have all 20euros to use for calls and have 500mb of data per month as long as I top up at that frequency. I get 250 texts too but never use them.

The only gotcha with it that I've noticed is that if I top up an additional 20 euros in the same month, I don't get another 500mb of data until the following month.

You need to ask them to put your SIM on Vita Total Smartphone, or you can change it on the Vodafone "Apoio Cliente" portal.

[AHKS]

Thanks canoeman and thanks NLN - that sounds like a good deal(at least compared to my expectations :-)

What about internet on computers? Is it very expensive with the dongle - and does it work well in Lisboa?

[notlongnow]

I see no reason why dongles won't work well in Lisbon but I have only used them in the Algarve. If anything, 3G dongles seem to work more consistently in Portugal than they ever did (in my experience) in central London.

It's a couple of years since I used one as we have home internet and my iphone does all I need it to out and about. When I did use one from TMN it was 20 euros for each GB of traffic. It lasts reasonably well if you turn software updates off and stay away from Youtube!