Unlike everything else, wireless prices going down: Report

"The "More for Less: 2026 Wireless Affordability Tracker," found that when adjusted for inflation postpaid unlimited plans are 10% less than last year and almost 35% less than five years ago. The proliferation of plans - the tracker says that it found more than a thousand - has driven prepaid options down more than 50% during the past five years."

"The tracker says that the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index (BLS and CPI) found that the nominal prices of wireless service are down by 4.1% during the past year and 19% during the past decade. This compares starkly to the economy-wide CPI, which is up 2.7% last year and more than 37% during the past ten."

""This means wireless is fighting inflation, helping offset rising prices in other industries," the report says. "With more affordable wireless, consumers are able to spend more elsewhere. The average wireless bill now represents only 1.7 percent of Americans' spending, according to the Consumer Expenditures Surveys done by BLS.""

"Wireless service is a bright spot for consumers compared to other common services. The 4.1% decrease in prices during the year compares to college tuition (up 1.5%), rent (up 2.9%), cable TV (up 3.7%), and gas/utilities (up 10.8%). The report also says that wireless prices trended down 15.2% from 2020 to 2024."

Postpaid unlimited plan prices are lower than last year and substantially lower than five years ago after adjusting for inflation. Prepaid options have dropped by more than 50% over the past five years as plan variety expanded to more than a thousand. Wireless nominal prices declined 4.1% over the past year and 19% over the past decade, while the overall economy’s CPI rose 2.7% last year and more than 37% over ten years. Wireless affordability is contrasted with increases in tuition, rent, cable TV, and gas/utilities. Wireless bills now account for about 1.7% of Americans’ spending, and cellular services represent roughly 1.73% of total spending.

Read at Telecompetitor