Portugal’s telecoms charges storm ahead of rest of Europe

EU sees 0.1% increase in bills over 12 months; Portugal registers 1.7%

For a country with some of the lowest pay levels in the European Union, it has long been remarked that Portugal’s citizens conversely pay some of the highest charges for telecommunications – and this year has been no different.

Say reports, the EU tendency has been for increases in telecoms bills of “just 0.1% over the last 12 months, but in Portugal the increase was 1.7%, making it one of the European countries with the highest prices for telecommunications”.

Costs increased in February by 4.8% – the highest value in the last 27 years, says SIC notícias.

Costs of materials and the increase in energy costs have contributed to this leap in prices – “unseen since January 1996”, says the station.

Operators MEO, Vodafone and NOS all upped their charges last month, citing inflation.

Compared to February 2022, prices increased by 3.9%, says SIC, “the greatest positive variation since December 2016”.

Scrabbling around for another form of data comparison, the media station said that between the end of 2009, and February 2023, prices of telecommunications in Portugal have increased 13.2% while in the EU as a whole they DECREASED by 8.8%.

João Cadete, president of telecoms regulatory authority ANACOM, has warned MPs of what he sees as abusive practices within the sector.

Telecoms giants do not appear to have a good relationship with Mr Cadete. Only a few months ago they were calling for his dismissal over the tortuous 5G auction process.

From Portugal Resident