# Portuguese Sim card required



## Helen248 (Nov 18, 2019)

Hi,

Can anyone recommend a sim card for mobile phone?

We moved here 31/12/19 and we have been using our UK Sim cards Giffgaff I swap between the £6 & £10 goodybag. The £10 one provides 7GB data, unlimited minutes and texts. Just received a message today to say that I will be charged for roaming in 2 weeks. I wanted to keep UK phone and number as my daughter is still in UK and I need to contact her regularly. I have contacted Giffgaff and they have extended a further 60 days but after this I will need to source a Portuguese Sim card.*

I don't need to make UK calls really, I currently don't use many minutes or texts but I use the data for communicating with my family mainly my daughter in UK as she likes to use Snapchat, Whats App, Face time video & iMessage (iphone) which is all free to message with but uses data.

We are getting Meo internet installed in the house but this has been a nightmare as first there was not enough switches in road and now an issue with posts! Anyway I can connect to home internet when we eventually get installed but I still need to be able to access data whilst out and about as I need my daughter to be able to contact me 24 7 if she needs to.*

Meo gave us a Sim card so we had a Portuguese number for Meo installation people to phone as they won't phone a UK number but I think it is a pay as you go 30 day Sim which you need to keep topping up.

Does anyone know of a good monthly plan which offers a reasonable amount of data per month at least 2-3GB of data per month and a small amount of minutes and texts. As I said I'm not too bothered about UK calls as I can always top up for international calls if I need to call UK.

Any suggestions gladly welcome.


----------



## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

You should find that you are entitled to two Portuguese SIM cards with your new MEO installation (depending on the package you chose) these include also a fair amount of data. There is also an option to bundle in a UK calls package for very little money, that could be worth looking at depending on your needs. If your daughter loads WhatsApp or Telegram then contact is free apart from the data cost. 2gb is a huge amount of data - a 5 minute WhatsApp call uses only 1mb of data so you are suggesting you need 10,000 or 15000 minutes worth? That's 250 hours of conversation - over 20 days worth if you speak for 12hrs a day !!!


----------



## Helen248 (Nov 18, 2019)

MrBife said:


> You should find that you are entitled to two Portuguese SIM cards with your new MEO installation (depending on the package you chose) these include also a fair amount of data. There is also an option to bundle in a UK calls package for very little money, that could be worth looking at depending on your needs. If your daughter loads WhatsApp or Telegram then contact is free apart from the data cost. 2gb is a huge amount of data - a 5 minute WhatsApp call uses only 1mb of data so you are suggesting you need 10,000 or 15000 minutes worth? That's 250 hours of conversation - over 20 days worth if you speak for 12hrs a day !!!


We were only offered 1 Sim card from MEO with very small data and minutes for 6 euro ontop of the monthly cost and we both will need one. I think you misinterpreted my post. I didn't say I needed 7GB of data solely to use for WhatsApp. We have no internet connection in house as MEO are messing us around with installation. My husband works from home remotely so needs his mobile phone and data so I require the data on my mobile phone to access everything which includes connecting to internet for directions in car, Google Maps, Google searching stuff, email, WhatsApp, SnapChat and Facetime. We also have 10 children between us in the UK who we miss a lot so communicate regularly. I have no desire to speak to her for 12 hrs a day - I love her but not that much (ha ha).

For example I currently have 7GB of data with GiffGaff and this renews the 10th of the month. I have already used up 3/4 of the data just day to day living. I wouldn't normally use this much if we had internet at home. In the UK the £6 goodybag was fine for my needs as I worked FT and had internet at home. As I said in my post my daughter loves to use SnapChat and WhatsApp and video Face Time rather than calling.


----------



## Pgmills (Jan 19, 2015)

Dump Meo and take a NOS 4g package. No download limits, immediate installation and decent monthly data allowance on mobile.


----------



## Helen248 (Nov 18, 2019)

Unfortunately we have signed a 2 year contract so can't ditch them.


----------



## jaytee10 (Jan 28, 2020)

There is an alternative to a Portuguese sim. Switch your UK sim from Giffgaff to plusnet. It provides a monthly package (minimum contract 12 months) of 1.5GB data, 1000 minutes to UK numbers and 1000 texts to UK numbers for £5.25 per month. The minimum annual cost will be less than €75 which will be much cheaper than a like-for-like Portuguese contract and much simpler.


----------



## Pgmills (Jan 19, 2015)

jaytee10 said:


> There is an alternative to a Portuguese sim. Switch your UK sim from Giffgaff to plusnet. It provides a monthly package (minimum contract 12 months) of 1.5GB data, 1000 minutes to UK numbers and 1000 texts to UK numbers for £5.25 per month. The minimum annual cost will be less than €75 which will be much cheaper than a like-for-like Portuguese contract and much simpler.


 Based on the OP’s original description, it wouldn’t be long before the fair usage policy would be invoked!


----------



## MrBife (Jul 26, 2009)

Helen248 said:


> Unfortunately we have signed a 2 year contract so can't ditch them.


If you are committed then move to another package within their system that fits your needs (and there should be one) the only penalty will be that you have to re-start your two year agreement. 

Suggest you go into an MEO shop and tell them exactly what you need to do. When they are selling you something they can be quite surprising !


----------



## Helen248 (Nov 18, 2019)

jaytee10 said:


> There is an alternative to a Portuguese sim. Switch your UK sim from Giffgaff to plusnet. It provides a monthly package (minimum contract 12 months) of 1.5GB data, 1000 minutes to UK numbers and 1000 texts to UK numbers for £5.25 per month. The minimum annual cost will be less than €75 which will be much cheaper than a like-for-like Portuguese contract and much simpler.


I don't think the Plusnet will work for me as I live in Portugal. You have to live and be based in UK and mainly use your mobile in UK. Their Roam like at home policy states that after 4 months you have been using your mobile in a Roam like at home destination you will need to explain why and pay a surcharge so sounds exactly like Giffgaff.


----------



## Helen248 (Nov 18, 2019)

For anyone who is interested I received a reply from another forum and someone recommended NOWO who offer 500MB & 500 mins @ €7.50 a month, 1GB/1000 mins @ €13.50, 2GB/2000 mins @ €16 or 4GB/4000 mins @ €21 (uses the MEO network). This is likely to be the best deal for me.


----------

