Internet users in Portugal are entitled to a credit on their bill when service interruptions, added together within the same billing period, exceed 24 hours. The condition is that the unavailability is not attributable to the user themselves. According to ANACOM, both consecutive failures and failures accumulated per billing period count, and intermittent interruptions can be added together for this purpose. For example, three failures of nine hours each total 27 hours and exceed the legal limit, even though none lasted an entire day. The count begins when the operator becomes aware of the unavailability or receives notification from the customer, so reporting the fault is essential.
The credit the user is entitled to corresponds to the price of the service during the period it was unavailable, covering the entire period and not just the hours that exceeded 24 hours. This amount should be credited on the next bill, without the need to request a refund, or to the balance of prepaid services. The operator must also reimburse the costs incurred for reporting the fault, provided it is not the user's fault. If the contract has already ended and the credit has not yet been processed, the refund must be made by bank transfer or cheque within 30 days.
If the unavailability continues for more than 15 days after being reported to the operator, the customer also has the right to terminate the contract without charges, even during the commitment period. This is a situation of prolonged unavailability, different from simply adding up separate interruptions over several months. To formalize the cancellation, ANACOM recommends that the request be submitted in writing, including the customer's identification, an express statement of intent to terminate the contract, the services covered, and the indication of the unavailability that underlies the termination.
In case of unresolved problems, ANACOM's guidance is to first contact the operator using the contacts available on the bill or website. If the situation persists, the next step is to submit a written complaint, which can be registered in the Complaints Book. Complaints in the Electronic Complaints Book are sent to the operator, who has 15 working days to respond. If the conflict continues, it is possible to resort to a Consumer Dispute Arbitration Centre or a Small Claims Court. ANACOM clarifies that it cannot decide individual disputes between customers and operators.
