Telecommunications services producer price indexes (TSPPI)

Detailed information for fourth quarter 2023

Status:

Active

Frequency:

Quarterly

Record number:

5041

The telecommunications services producer price indexes are quarterly series that measure changes over time in the prices received by telecommunications service providers for fixed telecommunications services (except Internet access), mobile telecommunications services, cable, satellite and other program distribution services and fixed internet access services.

Data release - March 15, 2024

Description

The telecommunications services producer price indexes (TSPPI) are quarterly series that measure changes over time in the prices received by telecommunications service providers for fixed telecommunications services (except Internet access), mobile telecommunications services, cable, satellite and other program distribution services and fixed internet access services. The indexes are available at the Canada level only.

The TSPPI series are useful indicators of economic activity in the telecommunications subsector. These indexes are primarily used by the Canadian System of Macroeconomic Accounts to arrive at estimates of real value added gross domestic product for the industry and to measure changes in productivity. They also enable macroeconomic analysis by external stakeholders.

The TSPPI series do not represent the price paid by consumers for the services received. Instead, they are measures of price change at an earlier stage in the value chain and should not be used to infer conclusions related to price trends faced by consumers.

The data table for this index (18-10-0066) is no longer released publicly. To obtain a copy of the data and/or the technical guide for this index, please contact us.

Reference period: The time period for which the telecommunication services producer price indexes equal 100; currently this is the first quarter of 2020.

Subjects

  • Information and communications technology
  • Prices and price indexes
  • Service price indexes
  • Telecommunication industries

Data sources and methodology

Target population

The target population of the survey consists of the largest telecommunication service providers classified in subsector 517 - Telecommunication of the North American Industry Classification System 2022. This subsector comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing telecommunications and/or video entertainment services over their own or over networks operated by others.

Instrument design

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Sampling

This methodology type does not apply to this statistical program.

Data sources

Data are collected from the Quarterly Survey of Telecommunications. Responding to this survey is mandatory.

View the Questionnaire(s) and reporting guide(s) .

Error detection

During data processing, subject matter specialists review the collected data to identify and resolve errors, inconsistencies and outliers. In addition, they confront the price information with other available data sources to identify and resolve invalid and inconsistent data.

Imputation

In rare cases, imputations are made by subject-matter experts. These imputations are normally made based on values from company financial reports or other sources of information. These are referred to as "manual imputations."

Estimation

Producer price indexes are estimated for four different telecommunication services. These services are based on Statistics Canada's Supply and Use Product Classification.

Fixed telecommunications services (except Internet access): This price index covers both local and long-distance wireline ("landline") telephone services across Canada. This index does not cover either Voice over Internet Protocol services or data and private line services.

Mobile telecommunications services: This price index covers mobile telephone voice (including SMS/MMS) calling services and cellular data transmission services. These plans encompass smartphones and rocket hubs, as well as mobile phones with voice and data service but exclude mobile television. Includes all sticks (prepaid & postpaid), PC cards, laptop/notebooks with mobile Internet built-in, rocket hubs (data only), iPads (prepaid & postpaid), other tablets, and smartphones/phones with data only plans.

Cable, satellite and other program distribution services: This price index covers subscription television services across Canada. The index covers cable, national direct-to-home satellite services and other program distribution services, such as Internet protocol television.

Fixed internet access services: This price index covers both dial-up and high-speed internet services across Canada.

Prices
The companies that respond to the survey will provide both revenue and quantity information pertaining to each of the four different telecommunication services.

For each company, and for each service, prices are computed by dividing the company's revenue value by the corresponding quantity value. The prices are thus defined as average, or "unit value" prices.

Fixed telecommunications services (except Internet access): for local calling services, the quantity is the total number of local and access lines provided; for long-distance calling services, the quantity is the total number of long-distance minutes billed.

Mobile telecommunications services: the unit price calculations do not distinguish between mobile voice and data services. For mobile services, the quantity is the total number of subscribers. The unit prices are quality adjusted by the network speed.

Cable, satellite and other program distribution services: the quantity is the total number of broadcast distribution subscribers.

Fixed internet access services: the quantity is the total number of fixed internet subscribers. The unit prices are quality adjusted by network speed.

Indexes
Two types of chained price indexes, Laspeyres and Paasche, are derived for all four telecommunications services. For each service, for each method, the index is calculated using companies' revenue values and quality adjustments. Weights used in the calculations are updated every quarter.

Quality evaluation

Prior to dissemination, the telecommunications services producer price indexes are analyzed for comparability with historical trends, as well as for coherence with results from other related data, known current events and information from external sources.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Confidentiality analysis includes the detection of possible direct disclosure, which occurs when the value in a tabulation cell is composed of a few respondents or when the cell is dominated by a few companies.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

With each release, data for the previous quarter may have been revised.

The indexes are not seasonally adjusted.

Data accuracy

The telecommunications services producer price indexes use data derived from the Quarterly Survey of Telecommunications based on a methodology designed to control for errors and reduce their effect on estimates. Processing procedures for editing and imputation are in place to ensure the quality of the data. Consequently, the indexes for all levels of aggregation are considered to be statistically reliable.

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