Executive Summary
Telecom prices down 0.2% on the previous month
Telecoms prices, as measured by the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) group, fell by 0.2% in April compared with the previous month, as a result of changes by one operator affecting the offer of a mobile telephone service.
Compared with the same month last year, telecom prices were up by 6.4 %. This was 4.2 p.p. (percentage points) higher than the CPI (2.2%). It’s worth remembering that ANACOM has recommended that operators limit price increases for 20241.
The average rate of change in telecom prices over the last twelve months was 5.2%, 2.6 p.p. higher than the CPI (2.6%). This was the highest rate since August 1994.
In terms of services, the average rate of change over the last twelve months in Portugal was 6.1% for bundled services and 4.6% for mobile telephone services, according to Eurostat data.
Average variation in the last twelve months in Portugal was 4.1 p.p. higher than in the EU
In international terms, the average rate of change of telecom prices in Portugal over the last twelve months was 4.1 p.p. higher than in the European Union, where the rate was 1.1%. Portugal recorded the 3rd highest price change (25th lowest) among the EU27 countries. The highest price increase was observed in Hungary (+12.2%), while the largest decrease was recorded in Malta (-7.5%).
On a sub-group basis, the average rates of change over the last 12 months for bundled services and mobile telephone services in Portugal were 3.4 p.p. and 5.4 p.p. respectively above the EU average.
Telecommunication prices in Portugal have increased by 22.5% since the end of 2009
From a long-term perspective and in cumulative terms, telecommunication prices have increased by 22.5% since the end of 2009, while CPI has increased by 31.1%. However, over that same period, telecommunication prices in the EU decreased by 7.9%.
NOWO has the lowest monthly charge for seven offers
On an operator basis, the lowest monthly charges were offered by NOWO in seven cases across a range of 11 services/offers, while MEO and Vodafone each had the lowest monthly charges for two types of service/offer.
For example, NOWO had the lowest minimum monthly charge for the standalone mobile service (EUR 6.88) and for the triple-play (EUR 25.0) and quadruple-play (EUR 35.63) bundles, while Vodafone had the lowest minimum monthly charge for the quintuple-play offer (EUR 64.10).
1 Vd. ANACOM recommends that operators limit price increaseshttps://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1773318.
