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Wireless service prices can fall on average while your own phone bill stays the same or rises. The key is that the price measure tracks eligible cellular service plans—not every charge on a household’s statement. Device payments, taxes and surcharges, plan differences, and promotion eligibility can all widen the gap between a national trend and what you pay.
What does the wireless price measure actually track?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) publishes a U.S. consumer price index for personal wireless cellular service. It mainly covers plans with voice and text, usually with data; charges normally included in a plan can count. It excludes monthly carrier charges for the cost of a device, as well as business plans and data-only plans. So the index is about service prices, not the complete cost of owning and connecting a phone.
Beginning with the July 2025 indexes, released in August 2025, BLS changed how it measures wireless prices. Its model uses a broad set of service-plan offers and plan characteristics, together with expenditure data to weight plans. It accounts for characteristics and quality changes, drawing on offers from mobile network operators and mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs), prepaid plans, data amounts, and hotspot allowances. BLS says prices are most often offers to new customers or existing customers upgrading plans; some grandfathered plans are represented too. Eligible promotions may include autopay and multi-line discounts, but device-related charges and promotions are excluded. BLS explains the wireless CPI definition and exclusions and its methodology for the revised measure.
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What do the recent figures say—and what don’t they say?
CTIA’s 2026 Wireless Affordability Tracker reports that inflation-adjusted prices for postpaid unlimited plans fell nearly 35% over five years; it also reports real-price declines for prepaid options. These are CTIA’s industry findings, not BLS statistics. CTIA also says the effective price per gigabyte of mobile data fell by more than 21% in 2025. That indicates improved value per unit of data, not necessarily a lower monthly charge for a household using the same plan. Read CTIA’s 2026 tracker.
Taxes and related charges can add substantially to the service price. Tax Foundation estimates that taxes, fees, and government surcharges averaged 28.8% of a typical wireless services bill in 2026. That is a national estimate of taxable wireless services, not a universal share of every customer’s all-in bill; amounts vary by state and by bill components. As a modeled example, Tax Foundation says a typical four-phone household paying $100 per month for taxable wireless services would pay about $345 a year in taxes, fees, and government surcharges. Its 2025 estimate was 27.60% of the average wireless services bill, a separately dated estimate rather than a figure for every household. Tax Foundation’s 2026 analysis describes its estimate and state variation; its 2025 analysis provides the prior-year figure.
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- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with Verizon, Spectrum, AT&T, Total Wireless, other CDMA carriers, it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- 4G LTE Bands: B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28/B38/B40/B41
- Display: Super AMOLED, 90Hz, 800 nits (HBM) | 6.7 inches, 110.2 cm2 (~86.0% screen-to-body ratio) | 1080 x 2340 pixels, 19.5:9 ratio (~385 ppi density)
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro)
Why might your phone bill still feel pricey?
Your statement includes device payments
If you are paying off a handset through your carrier, that monthly charge is outside the BLS wireless service index. Your combined service-and-device bill can therefore rise even when the measured price of service plans is falling.
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Taxes, fees, and surcharges vary
Government taxes and surcharges depend partly on where you live, and bills can include other fees as well. A national average cannot tell you the exact amount on your statement; check the itemized bill and compare charges for your location.
Rank #3
- Please note, this device does not support E-SIM; This 4G model is compatible with all GSM networks worldwide outside of the U.S. In the US, ONLY compatible with T-Mobile and their MVNO's (Metro and Standup). It will NOT work with other CDMA carriers, and it is also not compatible with their MVNO (Visible, Xfinity Mobile, US Mobile, Cricket Wireless, etc).
- Compatibility with certain third-party devices and accessibility accessories, including some hearing aids, may vary depending on manufacturer support, Bluetooth protocols, software compatibility, and regional firmware limitations. For additional hearing aid compatibility information, please refer to Samsung’s official support documentation.
- Camera: 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 50 MP, f/1.8, (wide), 1/2.76", 0.64µm, AF | 2 MP, f/2.4, (macro). Battery: 5000 mAh, non-removable | A power adapter is NOT included.
You may not qualify for the price used in a comparison
An advertised or modeled plan price may depend on autopay, multiple lines, new-customer status, or an upgrade. BLS includes eligible promotions in its measure, but that does not mean every existing subscriber receives every offer. Check the conditions attached to any quoted price before comparing it with your own.
Your plan may differ in lines, data, or hotspot allowance
Plan structure matters: prepaid and postpaid offers, line count, included high-speed data, hotspot allowance, and grandfathered plans are not interchangeable. BLS’s available offers often cover new customers and upgrades, while some existing or grandfathered offers are also represented. Your current plan may not match the mix behind the national index.
Rank #4
- Charger NOT Included, 6.7" Super AMOLED FHD+, 90Hz Refresh Rate, 385 ppi, 800 nits (HBM), 1080x2340px, 5000mAh Battery
- 128GB, 4GB RAM, microSDXC, Exynos 1330 (5nm), Octa-Core, Mali-G68 MP2 or Mali-G57 MC2 GPU
- Rear Camera: 50MP, f/1.8 (wide) + 5MP, f/2.2 (ultrawide) + 2MP, f/2.4 (macro), LED flash, panorama, HDR; Front Camera: 13MP, f/2.0, Android 14, up to 6 major Android upgrades, One UI 6.1
- 3G: HSDPA 850/900/1700(AWS)/1900/2100; 4G LTE: 1/2/3/4/5/7/12/13/14/20/25/26/28/29/30/38/39/40/41/48/66/71, 5G: 2/5/25/41/66/71/77/78 SA/NSA/Sub6/mmWave - Nano-SIM + eSIM
- US Model – Global Connectivity – Compatible with Most GSM Carriers like T-Mobile, AT&T, MetroPCS, etc. Will Also work with CDMA Carriers Such as Verizon, Straight Talk.
More data can mean better value without a lower bill
A lower effective price per gigabyte can reflect more data for a similar monthly payment. If your household uses more data, that may improve value without reducing the nominal amount due each month.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteThese are reasons to inspect a bill, not evidence that any one of them explains a particular customer’s experience. CTIA President and CEO Ajit Pai described wireless as “one of the great consumer success stories of our time” in an April 2026 release; that is an industry representative’s view, not an independent finding about every customer’s costs. CTIA’s release and tracker provide the industry context.
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- GSM Unlocked: Enjoy seamless connectivity with your preferred GSM carrier. Compatible with T-Mobile, Metro PCS, AT&T, Cricket, Mint Mobile and other GSM networks. SIM card not included. For network compatibility, please check with your carrier. Note: Not compatible with CDMA networks like Verizon (Visible, Spectrum Mobile, US Mobile, Total Wireless, Straight Talk Wireless)
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How to compare your bill with another plan
- Separate the charges. Identify the service-plan charge, device payments, taxes and surcharges, and optional add-ons. Do not treat the service price alone as the full recurring cost.
- Compare like with like. Use the same number of lines and similar high-speed data and hotspot needs. Check whether a quoted rate assumes autopay, multiple lines, new-customer status, or another promotion.
- Consider prepaid and postpaid offers. Include MVNO options in your comparison, but check coverage and service at the places you actually use your phones. A national price trend cannot establish which plan performs best at your location.
- Compare the recurring total. Add applicable taxes and fees to the service charge, and keep device financing separate so you can see which costs change if you switch plans.
There is no single cheapest provider for every household established by these figures. Your location, coverage needs, line count, plan features, and eligibility for discounts all affect the comparison.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
