New Report Shows Wireless Prices Defying Inflation Trends, Delivering More Value for American Consumers
Wireless Affordability Tracker Shows Real Prices Down Significantly Across Both Unlimited and Prepaid Plan Types
WASHINGTON, April 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- CTIA, the wireless industry association, today released its new Wireless Affordability Tracker, a comprehensive report documenting the decreasing cost of wireless service for American consumers across plan types.
The tracker shows that real prices for unlimited service plans declined by more than 10% last year alone and are down 35% over the last five years. Consumers choosing affordable prepaid options have seen comparable savings, with real prices down more than 51% over the same period.
"Wireless is one of the great consumer success stories of our time," said Ajit Pai, CTIA President and CEO. "Prices are down, speeds are up, and the value Americans get from their wireless service has never been greater. That's the result of a competitive market and continued private investment in world-class networks, and it's exactly why policies that support infrastructure deployment, licensed spectrum access, and competition are so important."
American consumers are benefiting from an extraordinarily competitive wireless marketplace, with hundreds of mobile operators and resellers offering more than a thousand different plans, with options to fit every budget. Government data confirms that wireless is defying inflation trends, and consumer value is extending beyond monthly bills:
- The Consumer Price Index shows the overall real cost of wireless service declined 6.6% last year and is down more than 41% over the last decade.
- The average wireless bill now represents only 1.7% of Americans' total spending, a share that has shrunk by more than 15% since 2020.
- The effective price per gigabyte of mobile data dropped more than 21% last year and is down 40% over just the last two years, meaning consumers are getting dramatically more for less as network quality and speeds continue to improve.
For more information and to read the full report, visit here.
SOURCE CTIA
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