The Increasing Deflationary Influence of Consumer Digital Access Services
22 Pages Posted: 30 Mar 2020
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The Increasing Deflationary Influence of Consumer Digital Access Services
The Increasing Deflationary Influence of Consumer Digital Access Services
Date Written: March 3, 2020
Abstract
Consumer digital access services—internet, mobile phone, cable TV, and streaming—accounted for over 2 percent of U.S. household consumption in 2018. We construct prices for these services using direct measures of volume (data transmitted, talk time, and hours of programming). Our price index fell 12 percent per year from 1988 to 2018 while official prices moved up modestly. Using our digital services index, we estimate total personal consumption expenditure (PCE) prices have risen nearly 1/2 percentage point slower than the official index since 2008. Importantly, the spread between alternative and official PCE price inflation has increased noticeably over time.
Keywords: Consumer Digital Services, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Innovation, National Accounting, Price Measurement
JEL Classification: O33, E31, L86
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation