Portugal, 12 December 2025 – At the end of the third quarter of 2025, Portugal counted 14,890 5G base stations, representing a 40.6% year-on-year increase, according to data from the national regulator. Vodafone remained the leading operator with 5,273 base stations, followed by NOS with 4,768, DIGI with 2,581 and MEO with 2,268.
The majority of 5G base stations, around 62%, are located in urban areas. However, coverage has now extended to all 308 municipalities, while 5G services are available in 75% of the country’s parishes, reflecting a continued expansion into less densely populated areas.
The number of 5G mobile users reached 5.3 million by the end of the third quarter, an increase of 60.7% compared with the same period last year. These users accounted for 39% of total mobile data traffic, underlining the growing importance of 5G networks in Portugal’s mobile ecosystem.
In terms of spectrum use, the 700 megahertz band has been primarily deployed to ensure wide-area and indoor coverage, while the 3.6 gigahertz band has been used to deliver higher capacity and support increased data demand in urban and high-traffic areas.