Living or working in rural Portugal no longer means being disconnected from the digital world. With public and private investment exceeding €400 million, high-speed fixed internet and 5G coverage is reaching areas previously considered ‘white’, covering more than 400,000 homes in low-density areas by 2027. Thanks to projects such as Portugal 2030 and the white zone initiative, the government and local authorities are accelerating the expansion of fibre optics and the mobile network, reducing regional disparities and paving the way for digital nomads, teleworkers and local businesses.
However, for those who need connectivity today, there are a variety of increasingly accessible alternatives. Fibre optics, preferred for its stability and speeds of up to 10 Gbps, is being rolled out by operators such as MEO, NOS, Vodafone and DIGI, with ‘ready-to-use’ solutions that arrive in a matter of days and cover most of the inland parishes. In areas where fibre has not yet arrived, fixed 5G is emerging as an intermediate solution: routers that transform mobile signals into domestic Wi-Fi, with speeds above 100 Mbps and coverage in 75% of parishes, thanks to more than 14,000 active base stations in the country.
For more remote locations, where even 4G is unreliable, satellite internet has changed the game. SpaceX’s Starlink offers residential plans starting at €29 per month, with speeds of 100 to 270 Mbps and unlimited data. All you need to do is install a flat antenna in a location with a clear view of the sky, ideal for mountains, forests, or isolated villages. Other options such as Eutelsat or Bigblu complement this, but Starlink stands out for its low latency and global coverage, competing directly with fibre in areas without terrestrial infrastructure.
Experts recommend starting by checking the exact coverage: use the operators’ online simulators for fibre and 5G, or Starlink’s map for satellite. In many cases, simply sign up online to schedule free or low-cost installation, with fixed monthly fees and no surprises. The State continues to reinforce these investments and with 5G already accounting for 22% of mobile traffic, the Portuguese interior is moving towards digital parity with the coast, opening doors to new ways of living and doing business.