Since Sunday (July 17), Portuguese telecommunications operators are obliged to offer non-binding contracts that can be cancelled at any time without clients having to pay exorbitant penalties.
Previously, operators only offered long-term loyalty contracts that forced clients to pay considerable sums if they wanted to rescind early.
The loyalty contracts are still available, however, and can be chosen for a six, 12 or 24-month binding period.
Consumer watchdog DECO considers the development “a victory for consumers”.
DECO’s Paulo Fonseca has explained it follows a 270,000-strong petition calling for more liberal rules in the sector.
