# Internet providers Tavira



## Rob_Brice

Hi, I am looking for recommendations for broadband (or similar) internet service providers in Tavira. We have just purchased an apartment in postcode area 8800-741 and the block looks wired for cable, so assume cable internet won't be a problem.

All recommendations gratefully received.


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## MrBife

Covered here already nearly a million times ... 

Expat Forum For People Moving Overseas And Living Abroad - Search Results


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## Rob_Brice

Yes I had read those, but since all comments made in the past two years related to mobile internet only (things tend to move quite rapidly in the world of technology), and failed to mention Tavira (I understand access to cable internet in PT is something of a postcode lottery) I figured it would be sensible to seek out some up to date, location specific advice


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## MrBife

Not even the local MEO (PT) shop will say exactly what areas are covered by the fibre roll out and none have specific info on what has been done so far. They simply say 'later this year' as they have no idea at all. The work in this area is being done by Viatel who are an independent contractor and although they work at the behest of MEO there doesn't seem to be much feedback or updated info available anywhere.

New homes have been fitted with cable ducting for the last five years (ITED) but it hasn't made any of the options more readily available.

It would be impossible for anyone on this or any other forum to know better than the local MEO shop.

There is a postcode query form on the MEO website but I never made it work and once you put in a contact number you get put on their call list. If you make an application for a connection then they will make an installation dependent on what is there in the street they can connect you to and of course update you if the provision method changes so you will either be offered a MEO cable package or a MEO fibre package at differing rates again as per their website.

4G providers offer good speeds (up to 100mbps) at reasonable rates but you need to check local signal levels to decide which provider to go with. Beware the lock-in contract period (fidelização) with any of them.


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## Rob_Brice

Thanks for the reply - very helpful


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## TaviraLen

I don't understand why MrBife just mentions MEO. There are at least two other internet providers in Tavira (Vodafone and NOS). NOS can tell you what kind of service they can offer when you give them your exact address. They also have an online postcode finder, which shows that 8800-741 does have access to NOS internet. It doesn't say what kind of internet, but if it is a reasonable newly built block there is a chance for fiber/coaxial. 
Our apartment building I Tavira is ten years old, and we have that kind of set up with NOS (200 Mb/s). NOS made the installation in our apartment on the same day as signing the contract, and everyone I have been in touch with (including the technician who installed, and a lady in accounts) have spoken good English.
So, contrary to MrBife, I think it is a good idea to ask all providers what kind of internet they can offer.
Just be aware that the best place to deal with NOS is in Algarve Forum in Faro.


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## Rob_Brice

Thanks TaviraLen

Do you know if there's an NOS shop or agent located anywhere in Tavira? The nearest I can find on their website is Vila Real de Santo António.


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## MrBife

TaviraLen said:


> I don't understand why MrBife just mentions MEO. There are at least two other internet providers in Tavira (Vodafone and NOS). NOS can tell you what kind of service they can offer when you give them your exact address. They also have an online postcode finder, which shows that 8800-741 does have access to NOS internet. It doesn't say what kind of internet, but if it is a reasonable newly built block there is a chance for fiber/coaxial.
> Our apartment building I Tavira is ten years old, and we have that kind of set up with NOS (200 Mb/s). NOS made the installation in our apartment on the same day as signing the contract, and everyone I have been in touch with (including the technician who installed, and a lady in accounts) have spoken good English.
> So, contrary to MrBife, I think it is a good idea to ask all providers what kind of internet they can offer.
> Just be aware that the best place to deal with NOS is in Algarve Forum in Faro.


MEO (The old Portugal Telecom company) are currently the owners of the actual infrastructure. There are some works being done by NOS and Vodafone to actually put in their own independent fibre network no doubt because they are also tired of having to rent capacity from MEO.

That is all still a way off and what's called 'last mile' connection from the distribution cabinet to the home is still part of the infrastructure that is owned by PT. Hence the push for 4G network connections as it makes the wired connection unnecessary.

Hopefully in a few years Fibre to the cabinet FTTC and after that fibre to the home FTTH will proliferate and we will all have amazing instant connections.

I for one still remember how excited I was all those years ago to be able to start to play with Compuserve and Prestel using an acoustic coupler - these days by comparison a 10mbps MEO cable connection is still pretty amazing and probably enough for IPTV and most current use.

In my own place (central Algarve) I have 100mps MIMO 4.5G from Vodafone for €25 a month but it uses non standard antennas and an expensive router I provide myself - so not quite off the shelf kit.


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## TaviraLen

Sorry MrBife, but I just wanted to make a point of the fact that it actually is possible to get a very good internet connection in Tavira. And not just where I live. I have quite a few friends with the same high speed connection in other parts of the town. I am not the kind of expert MrBife seems to be, but my understanding is that in my case there is fiber in the street, which connects to a coaxial network on the house and to every room in my apartment. I don't really care who owns what, as long as NOS gives me a package I am happy with - router, box with the basic 173 channels, landline with free international calls to landlines 9pm to 9am weekdays and all weekends, 2 sim cards with quite a bit of free calls and texts and 3gb data per month on each. All for €69 per month. My Portuguese neighbour, who is an electrical engineer, measured my connection and I have an actual speed of 197 mb/s, which is more than enough for my iptv and other stuff.
So just because MrBife can’t get a simple, fast internet where he lives in central Algarve, it doesn’t mean that the circumstances are exactly the same in Tavira.


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