According to INE (Statistics Portugal)1, in October 2014, telecommunications prices2 rose in both nominal and real terms, increasing 0.86 percent versus September, by 0.12 percent versus October 2013 and by 0.69 percent on average over the last twelve months.
|
October 2014 |
2013 |
||
Year-on-Year |
Average change |
Change versus |
Average change |
|
CPI |
0.00% |
-0.25% |
0.33% |
0.27% |
Telecommunications3 |
0.12% |
0.69% |
0.86% |
0.15% |
Ranking in descending order (43 groups) |
22 |
15 |
12 |
24 |
Source: INE (Statistics Portugal)
In average terms, the annual increase in prices reported was the 15th highest among 43 products/service considered. The sectors where prices rose more than in the telecommunications sector were sectors of non-transactional goods, regulated prices or subject to specific control.
In recent years, telecommunications prices have increased in nominal and real terms at the beginning of each year, as a result of the ''price adjustments'' brought in by providers.
Graph 1 - Monthly change in CPI and telecommunications prices
Source: INE (Statistics Portugal)
Unit: %
Since January 2014, the average annual increase in telecommunications prices has exceeded the variation in CPI. In October 2014, the difference between the two rates was reported at 0.94 percentage points.
Graph 2 - Twelve month average rate of change of CPI and telecommunications prices
Source: INE (Statistics Portugal)
Unit: %
According to EUROSTAT4, telecommunications prices5 in Portugal have increased, while falling in the EU6. On average terms, in October 2014, the annual increase in prices reported in Portugal was 3.01 p.p. above the EU average, so that price increases in Portugal are the 5th largest among EU countries.
|
October 2014 |
2013 |
||
Year-on-Year |
Average change |
Change versus |
Average change |
|
EU |
-1.88% |
-2.32% |
-0.19% |
-4.48% |
Portugal |
0.12% |
0.69% |
0.86% |
0.15% |
PT / EU difference |
2.01 p.p |
3.01 p.p |
1.04 p.p |
4.64 p.p |
Ranking in descending order (23 countries) |
6 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
Source: EUROSTAT
Unit: %, p.p.
Note: Information for Ireland, Malta, Netherland, Sweden and United Kingdom not available.
Since March 2011, telecommunications prices7 have risen more in Portugal than in the EU (in terms of average annual change).
Graph 3 - Average rate of change over previous twelve months - telecommunications prices: Portugal vs EU
Source: EUROSTAT
Unit: %
1 See ''Consumer Price Index - October 2014'' (INE, 2014), available at Taxa de variação homóloga do IPC foi nula em Outubro - Outubro de 2014 http://www.ine.pt/xportal/xmain?xpid=INE&xpgid=ine_destaques&DESTAQUESdest_boui=211221900&DESTAQUESmodo=2.
2 ''Telephone, telegraph and telefax services'' sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and of the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP), which comprises voice, Internet and subscription TV (STV) services acquired on a stand-alone basis or as part of a bundle of services.
3 ''Telephone, telegraph and telefax services'' sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and of the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP), which comprises voice, Internet and subscription TV (STV) services acquired on a stand-alone basis or as part of a bundle of services.
4 See HICP - monthly data (EUROSTAT, 2014), available at Eurostat - Data Explorer http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/show.do?dataset=prc_hicp_midx&lang=en.
5 ''Telephone, telegraph and telefax services'' sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and of the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP), which comprises voice, Internet and subscription TV (STV) services acquired on a stand-alone basis or as part of a bundle of services.
6 Information for Ireland, Malta, Netherland, Sweden and United Kingdom not available. Information for Estonia available from 2010.
7 ''Telephone, telegraph and telefax services'' sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and of the Harmonised Indices of Consumer Prices (HICP), which comprises voice, Internet and subscription TV (STV) services acquired on a stand-alone basis or as part of a bundle of services.