What must I get before I sign a phone or internet contract in Portugal, and can I change my mind?
Before you sign, even by phone or online, the operator must give you a contract summary on a durable medium: prices, duration, renewal and exit terms, and internet speeds. A consumer contract takes effect only after you receive it and confirm your agreement.
Before you sign, you should get the key terms in writing: price, term, speed and how to leave. In many countries a short contract summary is required, and contracts made online, by phone or at your door usually come with a cooling-off period. The rules for Portugal are below.
📜 The rules in Portugal
The details
- Contract made by phone or online: you have 14 calendar days to cancel without cost or reason. Signed at home with a door-to-door seller: 30 days. If you were not told about this right, the period becomes 12 months. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- Want the service installed within that period? You must ask expressly on a durable medium. If you then withdraw, you pay only in proportion to the service provided until you cancel. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- The summary may not exceed one A4 page, or three for internet access, and must explain your remedies if the real internet performance falls short of the contract. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
- Use the withdrawal form you were given or tell the operator clearly. You must prove you sent it in time, so send it in writing and keep proof. (anacom-consumidor.pt)
ANACOM – Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações
Telecom regulator: explains your rights, receives every complaints-book complaint and can sanction operators. It does not settle your individual dispute and refers you to the consumer arbitration centres.
🪜 Step by step
- Ask for the contract summaryRead the price after any discount, the minimum term, the speeds and the conditions for leaving.
- Keep everythingSave the summary, the contract and the offer you were shown, with the date.
- Know your cooling-off periodIf you signed online, by phone or at your door, check how long you have to change your mind.
- Cancel in a way you can proveUse the form or address the provider gives, and keep proof of when you sent it.
📇 Who to contact
Sponsor this page → One labelled block, €100 a month. Founding price €75 until 31 January 2027.
❓ Questions
Does the cooling-off period apply to a contract signed in a shop?
Usually not: it normally covers contracts made online, by phone or away from the shop.
Do I pay for days I already used?
If you asked for the service to start during the cooling-off period, you may have to pay for the days you used.
What if I never got a contract summary?
Tell the provider in writing and ask the regulator what this means for your contract in Portugal.
📎 Sources
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