Internet Facility in Villa - Best Options???

[Smile in the sun]

Hi can anyone give help or advice regarding internet options in Holiday villa. We do not have a phone line, and are not interested in extra tv channels. Just interested in possible options for having internet availability for help with work/homework during time in villa.
Thanks.

[EMM]

By a PAYG USB dongle from any of the local Phone shops or if you have it get a Phone.TV, IT cannoection via one of the Portuguese cable suppliers. Cabo Visao etc.

[Rene]

We have the PAYG, bought from Vodafone at the Intermarche and find it meets our needs, we usually buy 10 euro at a time and it lasts 10 hours, but we just use it for checking emails etc. The one we have you need to use it every 6 months or you get disconnected so check this if buying.

[joeysoap]

We have the PAYG, bought from Vodafone at the Intermarche and find it meets our needs, we usually buy 10 euro at a time and it lasts 10 hours, but we just use it for checking emails etc. The one we have you need to use it every 6 months or you get disconnected so check this if buying.

Rene, i also have a vodafone dongle, and its due topping up on my next visit. when i purchased it in the vodafone shop in guia they mentioned that you topped up at a atm. but i will be in intermarche and was just wondering if they sold the top ups, and do you just key in the top up number like on a mobile phone or do you have to take the dongle info with you? apologies for the questions but all my instructions are in portuguese and i cant read them!

[maccasa]

Just go to the phone shop in intermarche and give them the dongle phone number - if you cant remmeber it take the red box - its on there.

The Vodafone shop in Lagoa has shut - its buyused gold place

[Farol]

If you get the Vodafone one and register on their web site then you can top up on-line irrespective of where you are.

[joeysoap]

thank you both for answering my question. there is a little card with all the details in the box so if in intermarche will bring that.
topping up online sounds even better but can't give it a go from here as all the vodafone stuff is out in the apt so maybe give that a lash first and if it fails off to intermarche.
I didn't really fancy standing in the street at a MB machine reading through the menu and maybe build up a queue. both options much better.
thanks again

[Colana]

you can also top up a VF dongle at the post office ATM as long as you have a Portuguese bank card.

I too have this and I top it up every few months. It works very well, the connection is as fast as my BT Broadband in the UK.

[laserblazer]

What one do you have Colana, do you pay by the minute or the download? We will want one for emails and a bit of browsing.

[EMM]

I understand that you pay by the minute which is why you should disconnect as soon as you have finished .

[fmm]

What one do you have Colana, do you pay by the minute or the download? We will want one for emails and a bit of browsing.

I have used both - and the "by the minute" one worked out very expensive for me - much better value using the download one.

[Rene]

I have always topped up at the Intermarche shop, as others have said just bring the tel number with you, they are very helpful, even though last time we had passed the 6 months the guy there rang Vodafone and had it working again.
That is a very useful tip about the internet for topping up I must try it.
I have only used "the per minute" dongle and I would say it is very easy to use an hour per day just checking and answering emails, reading this forum etc... so we top up approx €10 per week when in town.

[cereza]

I used to top up my Kangaru dongle and mobile phone at Multibanco ATMs but now I do it on line through my Portuguese banks internet service - simple as long as you have a bank account

[joeysoap]

tried to top up on the internet. suspect if you are proficient in portuguese you could do it. just went to intermarche and topped up there. simples.

[md 600 driver]

You could also use the new eutelsat tooway system it uses a dish to upload and download information, speeds are very good the lowest pagage is 6 down and 1 up which is faster than lots af landline adsl
costs are good too monthly charge £25 per month the dish and modem costs £199 fitting circa £100 but you can fit your self its quite easy

this is a new sytsem dont mix it up with old and other systems that are vey slow

only drawback is that it is fixed useage surfing and emails ok but downloading movies definately out

plus point no phone line required and you can use it else where if you get another dish and take your modem with you i am bringing one to portugal end of august and cancelling my phone line and adsl

steve