Executive summary
- In May 2020, telecommunications prices, measured by the sub-index of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), remained unchanged from the previous month.
- Compared to the same month of the previous year, the observed variation in prices was -1.18%. The year-on-year variation of telecommunications prices has been lower than the growth of the CPI since November 2017.
- The average variation rate of telecommunications prices of the last twelve months was -3.90%, i.e. 3.97 percentage points (p.p.) below that recorded by the CPI (0.07%). This price reduction primarily reflects the entry into force on 15 May 2019 of the new European rules regulating the prices of intra-EU communications
- In May 2020, the average variation rate of telecommunications prices in Portugal was lower than that observed in the EU (-4.2 p.p.). The average variation rate of telecommunications prices of the last twelve months in Portugal was the 26th highest among EU countries. The country that recorded the highest increase of prices was Romania (+4.2%) while the largest reduction occurred in Italy (-4.9%). On average, telecommunications prices in the EU Increased by 0.3%.
- Between the end of 2009 and May 2020, telecommunications prices in Portugal increased by 7.7%, while in the European Union they fell by 9.9%. The difference narrowed following the entry into force on 15 May 2019 of the new European rules regulating the prices of intra-EU communications.
- According to the European Commission's Broadband Price Index 2020, in October 2019 the prices of convergence offers (e.g. 4P/5P bundles) and mobile services (voice and internet) in Portugal were the fifth highest of the EU, while the internet-only offers held seventh position in the ranking of the highest prices.
