Telephones and Internet

fmm · Post by **fmm** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 12:34 pm

This is a problem that is sending me crazy!

I have contacted Portugal Telecom as the website is in Portguese and I cannot work out exactly what I need to do and what my options are. I have tried the Babelfish translator and it says really helpful things like "
PTPrimeira Time without wires Enjoy Rubber " which really doesn't help!

Portugal Telecom kindly gave me an email address (that does not work) and a phone number (an 808 one which I cannot phone from the UK).

All I want to do is get a telephone line installed, and be able to use my laptop using an ADSL connection. As I am not there all the time, I think some sort of pay as you go internet connection would be most cost effective, and I would like to get it installed on my next longish visit in August.

Does anyone have either an email address or telephone number of someone I can ask these questions to?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

fmm · Post by **fmm** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:42 pm

I managed to get a phone number and found out that PT are doing a special offer at the moment where if you buy on line, then you get free phone and ADSL installation. Then pay something like 12/13 euros a month for phone line rental and pay as you go for ADSL at 35 cents per 10 minutes.

So the nice man talks me though the Portuguese website until we get to the bit where they need a phone number. My english mobile number is too long to go in there, so we fill it in with zeros and put the mobile number next to the email address. Nope - that won't work. So. If I want to avoid paying 80 euros for installation I have to have a Portuguese number. Now the whole point of this is that I don't have a damned phone so how the hell can I have a Portuguese phone number? !! I can send them a fax with all the details, but it will then cost me the 80 euros. So I have decided to live wtihout it for the moment. They only need the phone number so that the engineer can call me to make an appointment so surely they could make a little more space on their form to allow for a few extra digits.

Grrrrrr!

Thunderbolt · Post by **Thunderbolt** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:50 pm

How frustrating!
Don't you have a friend or villa manager who could provide you with a number for the engineer?
If it's just a case of then relaying when he is coming they could let you know.

fmm · Post by **fmm** » Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:53 pm

The apartments I am in are all old ones with no telephones etc. I can probably ask Juan (or however you spell it) who owns the Marisqueria as he is below my apartment, but would rather do it face to face. May ask him when I go over in August and see what he says.

Misty · Post by **Misty** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 1:27 pm

You can buy sim cards for mobile phones here for €5. You just need to find a compatible phone. You many be able to get a second hand one for next to nothing (maybe on here?) or get one that's on same frequency as your UK phone? (Am I talking rubbish?)

M

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 2:05 pm

fmm,
I am hoping to do exactly what you are trying to do when we visit our villa in September. Any idea how long the offer is on for, and do you still have to PT phone number?

fmm · Post by **fmm** » Sat Jul 22, 2006 3:55 pm

Barry - the promotion apparently has finished, but they seem to have promotions running all the time. If you call this number
From abroad: + 351 707 2 16200
Fax: 800 216 200
Email: mail16200@telecom.pt

The people I spoke to were fluent in English and were able to explain everything pretty clearly. The only problem, as I said, was not having a Portuguese number to list when I tried to register on line with them.

Good luck.