The contracts which have been concluded between the Portuguese State and the new providers of the universal service of electronic communications have been released for consultation. The providers of the universal service in Portugal were designated following tender procedures launched in October 2012.
As a result of these procedures, the universal service of connection to a public communications network at a fixed location and of publicly available telephone services was awarded, for a period of 5 years, to Optimus Comunicações in the north and centre zones of Portugal and to ZON TV Cabo Portugal in the South and Islands. Meanwhile, as a result of the acquisition of ZON TV Cabo Portugal by Optimus Comunicações, provision of these services, which commences on 1 June 2014, will be provided by NOS Comunicações throughout Portugal.
The universal service provision of public pay-telephones was awarded to PT Comunicações for a period of five years. PT Comunicações was also awarded the universal service provision of a comprehensive telephone directory and of a comprehensive telephone directory enquiry service for a period of one year.
