The Algarve is one of the most popular destinations for people moving to Portugal. And with more than 300 days of sunshine, some of the most beautiful beaches in the world, and a lower cost of living than many parts of Northern Europe and North America, it’s easy to see why.
But what’s the internet like in the Algarve? Is it as good as the rest of Portugal, and how good is the internet in Portugal in general? Will it be suitable for working from home, Zoom calls, and watching Netflix?
On average, Portugal has very good internet coverage and people moving here can expect speeds of up to 1,000 mbps, which is in line with the rest of Europe. In certain parts of the country, including Faro, you can get 10 gbps internet, which is ten times as fast as the average.
The Algarve is also home to a lot of digital nomads or remote workers, particularly in Lagos. If the internet is good enough to attract so many people that work online, it’s probably pretty good.
However, there can be some challenges with internet in the Algarve which this article will discuss.
The main issue is that fibre internet isn’t available everywhere in the Algarve yet and you may have to get 4G satellite internet. Another challenge is working out whether you can get fibre at a property: enter your address in any online checker, and the website will most likely tell you that, yes, you can get internet at your property.
In reality, however, this may not be the case. These online checkers don’t check your actual address but just your postcode. That means that if you share a postcode with a large town like Albufeira but live several kilometres away, the website checker will automatically tell you that you can get internet at a property.
And, unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. While fibre internet is generally available in the towns and cities, it may not be available in the countryside just a few kilometres outside.
“I had a client who bought a property in Portimao and paid €800,000 and then he asked me to check if he can get fibre. When I looked, I saw that he didn’t. He couldn’t believe it as the estate agent had told him that he definitely could get it. This is why you should always double check that you can get fibre internet.”
Fernando Mendes
Working Out if You Can Get Internet
There are two ways to check if you can get fibre internet. The easiest way is to use the form below.
The other option is to go into each of the shops for the main internet service providers (MEO, NOS, and Vodafone) and to ask them. You should speak to all of them to double check you can’t get internet before signing up with a 4G home satellite internet service.
Lazer Telecom are an Algarve-only ISP that operate in the Algarve and, like MEO, NOS, and Vodafone, offers speeds of up to 1 GBPS. However, their fibre only covers part of the Algarve (mainly around Faro) and doesn’t extend to most towns and cities on the Algarve. In places like Boliqueime and São Bras de Alportel, they are also able to offer AirFibre, which is a 4G internet solution.
What About 4G and 5G Internet
Both 4G and 5G internet are common throughout the Algarve and 5G coverage is constantly expanding. Mobile internet coverage is generally very good here although, like everywhere, there are places that are better than others.
Many people who live on the Algarve say that the internet can be slower in July and August when there are more tourists. Is there any truth to this? Fernando Mendes says yes, but only with mobile internet as opposed to fibre internet.
“The towers that provide 4G and 5G signals are designed to accommodate the local population. So, the internet service providers will look at the local population statistics and see that, for example, there are 30,000 people living in an area. If all of a sudden that population doubles or triples during the summer, there will be more people pulling on the same resources, which will reduce the speeds available.