ANACOM - Portuguese Communications Authority

02/04/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 02/04/2025 10:27

Telecommunications prices fell by 0.5% compared to the previous month

In December 2024, telecommunications prices, as measured by the relevant Consumer Price Index (CPI) group, fell by 0.5% month-on-month due to changes in bundled offers and mobile telephone services.

Compared with the same month last year, telecommunications prices increased by 6.7%. It should be recalled that ANACOM recommended operators to restrain possible price increases in 2024https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1773318, both for new customers and in the contracts in force, in order to ensure effective access to these service by end-users, in a context of inflationary pressure and increased cost of living.

The average rate of change in telecommunications prices over the last twelve months was 6.9%, the highest rate recorded since June 1994.

In terms of type of service, the average rate of change over the last twelve months in Portugal was 5.5% for bundled services and 8.7% for mobile telephone services, according to Eurostat data.

As the contracts of the three companies with the highest market shares in the electronic communications sector provide for the possibility of an annual update of prices linked to the previous year's CPI, the providers have increased the prices of electronic communications services on their own initiative after the period of high inflation observed in 2022 and 2023. There was therefore a time lag between the increase in the rate of change of the CPI and the increase in the rate of change of telecommunications prices.

At international level, the average rate of change of telecommunications prices in Portugal over the last twelve months was 7.2 p.p. higher than in the European Union, where the rate was -0.3%. Portugal recorded the 3rd highest price change among the EU27 countries. The highest price increase was observed in Hungary (+12.2%), while the largest decrease was recorded in France (-9.4%).

On a sub-group basis, the average rates of change over the last twelve months for "bundled services" and "mobile telephone services" in Portugal were 5.0 p.p. and 10.6 p.p. respectively above the EU average.

DIGI offers were launched on the telecommunications market in November 2024 and were the lowest in December for seven types of offer out of a range of 11 services/offers analysed.

On an operator basis, and looking only at the four main operators, the lowest monthly charges in December were offered by NOWO and Vodafone for five of the types of offer analysed each, while MEO had the lowest monthly charges for two types of service/offer. NOS had the lowest monthly charge for one type of service/offer.

NOWO had the lowest minimum monthly charge for the triple play (EUR 28.75) and quadruple play (EUR 36.25) bundle offers, while Vodafone had the lowest minimum monthly charge for the quintuple play offer (EUR 61.10). For the standalone mobile service, NOWO and Vodafone had the lowest monthly charges (EUR 5).

Consult the statistical report: