Summary
- In January 2018, telecommunications prices1 increased 0.35% compared to the previous month (in January 2017 there were no changes). This increase resulted from changes in post-paid mobile telephone service tariffs by one provider.
On a year-on-year basis, the variation in prices was +0.21%.
In average annual terms, prices increased by 2.20%, 0.85 percentage points (p.p.) over inflation (1.34%). The increase in prices reported was the 12th highest among the 43 products/services considered.
Since January 2014, telecommunications prices1 have been increasing at average annual rates above the rate of change reported in the CPI.
- In January 2018, in average annual terms, Portugal reported the second highest increase in prices in the EU. On average, telecommunications prices1 in the EU fell by 0.84%.
Since March 2011, telecommunications prices1 have risen more in Portugal than in the EU.
1. Trends in telecommunications prices1 in January 2018
According to INE2, in January 2018, telecommunications prices increased 0.35% compared to the previous month (in January 2017 there was no change)1. This increase resulted from changes in post-paid mobile telephone service tariffs by one provider.
Compared with the corresponding month of the previous year, and the average in the last 12 months, telecommunications prices1 increased by 0.21% and by 2.20%, respectively.
|
|
January 2018 |
2017 |
||
|
Var. Year-on-year change |
Var. average 12 months |
Var. previous month |
Var. average 12 months |
|
|
CPI |
1.03% |
1.34% |
-1.02% |
1.37% |
|
.. Telecommunications1 |
0.21% |
2.20% |
0.35% |
2.35% |
|
Ranking in descending order (43 groups) |
27 |
12 |
12 |
10 |
Source: INE
Unit: %
Note: The variation between the average change in the CPI over the previous 12 months and the telecommunications sub-index resulting from the table is different to that mentioned in the text due to rounding.
On a year-on-year basis, the variation in prices (+0.21%) was the 27th highest among the sectors of the Portuguese economy. The difference between the CPI was -0.83 percentage points (p.p.).
In average annual terms, the increase in prices reported (2.20%) was the 12th highest among 43 products/services considered.
Since January 2014, telecommunications prices1 have been increasing at average annual rates above the rate of change reported in the CPI. In January 2018, the difference between the two rates was reported at 0.85 percentage points (p.p.), the smallest variation since January 2015.
Graph 1 -Average 12-month change in CPI and telecommunications prices1
Source: INE
Unit: %
2. Trends in telecommunication prices1 in the EU3 in January 2018
According to EUROSTAT4, in January 2018, the increase in prices in average annual terms reported in Portugal was 3.04 percentage points above the EU average3, with Portugal the EU country with the second highest increase in prices. The country with a larger increase than in Portugal was Latvia.
On a year-on-year basis, the increase in telecommunications prices1 in Portugal was the 12th highest among the EU countries3.
|
|
January 2018 |
2017 |
||
|
Var. Year-on-year change |
Var. average 12 months |
Var. previous month |
Var. average 12 months |
|
|
E.U.3 |
-0.18% |
-0.84% |
0.05% |
-0.90% |
|
Portugal |
0.21% |
2.20% |
0.35% |
2.35% |
|
Deviation PT / E.U.3 |
0.39 p.p. |
3.04 p.p. |
0.30 p.p. |
3.25 p.p. |
|
Ranking in descending order (26 countries) |
12 |
2 |
6 |
2 |
Source: EUROSTAT
Unit: %, pp
Note: Information not available for the United Kingdom. Ireland was also not included in the ranking due to a lack of available information before December 2016.
Since April 2011, telecommunications prices1 have risen more in Portugal than in the E.U.3 (in average annual terms).
Graph 2 - Average rate of change over previous 12 months - telecommunications prices: Portugal vs E.U.3
Source: EUROSTAT
Unit: %
Note: From the publication, by EUROSTAT, on 25 February 2016, for data for January 2016, the reference year of the HICP series was changed from 2005 to 2015. There may be differences in the series due to rounding effects5.
1 ''Telephone and telefax services'' sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and of the Harmonized 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. Analysis of the prices presented in this report should be complemented by an examination of the characteristics of the offers; this information is available in the reports: ''Electronic communications bundles'', ''Fixed telephone service and nomadic VoIP'', ''Mobile services'', ''Internet access service'' and ''Subscription television service'', all available on ANACOM's website.
2 See ''Consumer Price Index - January 2018'' (INE, 2018), available at INE - CPI annual rate of change decreased to 1.0% - January 2018
3 Information not available for the United Kingdom. Information available for Ireland from December 2017.
4 See HICP - monthly data (EUROSTAT, 2018), available at HICP (2015 = 100) - monthly data (index)
5 For further information, please go to New HICP reference year 2015 = 100
