Mobile telephones and mobile

positioning data as source for

population statistics

Erki SaluveerPositium LBS

Rein AhasChair of Human GeographyUniversity of Tartu, Estonia

Need for new population statistics:

Rising spatial mobility

Fast changes in society, settlement system

Opening borders, globalisation

Multi-residence, multi jobs, mobile jobs....

Objective:

To introduce potential of mobile

positioning data

To demonstrate examples from Estonia

Mobile positioning

Mobile positioning is locating

(pinpointing) mobile phones with radio

wave

Geometry of mobile positioning

Area, sector

Location

“point”

CGI-TA

Mobile positioning data

Same as any location

data

Anonymous user ID

Time

Geometry

Mobile positioning methods

Active mobile positioning

Real-time

Contract with user

Numerous different methods

Passive mobile positioning

From log files

Anonymous

Active mobile

positioning

mobile tracking

Active positioning – asking locations

with special queries

“Trace phone 5035914 with

15 min interval 08.10.10-

10.10.10”

Network based methods

Handset based methods

Mobile tracking

Studying commuters from new

suburbs of Tallinn:

Sampling – 600 families from new settlement areas

Questionnaire – 60 min questions by polling firm EMOR TNS

Tracking mobile phones with 15 min intervals for 8 days

Leasure time locations of suburban commuters

18.00-20.00

Passive mobile

positioning

Passive positioning – location

information from memory files of

mobile operator

Passive mobile positioning data

Huge amounts of data

Spatial accuracy: Cell ID

Roaming users (foreigners in Estonia)

Local users (Estonians)

Tourism

Erk

i Sa

luve

er

30

.11

.2009

ANCHOR POINTS

Anchor points model:

Calculating anchor points from

the database

home

work

leisure

irregular

18

Commuting patterns

Downscaling movements to

road/street canyons

Use of second homes in Estonia

Days spent in second homes

Regular user is Bank of Estonia

IN/OUT tourism statistics for calculations

of payment balance

Positium Data Mediator – program to

prepare data for statistical analyses

Strenghts of mobile

positioning

Strengths of mobile positioning:

Phones are widespread

Data is digital

Recording actual locations of phones (people)

Possible to “measure” multi-residence & distant work ...

Very good spatial and temporal

coverage: cell / seconds

25

Strengths of mobile positioning:

Possibility to ask “location aware questions”

Study short-term mobility

Real-time maps and applications!

Problems with

mobile positioning

Too quantitative?

Gender differences in phone use: 2006-2009

Troubles to get the data

How to reach operators?

High cost of data?

How to manage huge GIS databases?

Spatial interpolation...

Thank you!!!

erki.saluveer@positium.ee

rein.ahas@ut.ee

List of Mobile Positioning based papers published by:

Department of Geography, University of Tartu: rein.ahas@ut.ee

Positium LBS, Tartu, Õpetaja 9, Estonia, erki.saluveer@positium.com

Magazines

Kuusik, A., Tiru, M., Varblane, U., Ahas, R. 2010. Process innovation in destination marketing: use of passive mobile positioning (PMP) for segmentation of repeat visitors

in case of Estonia, Baltic Journal of Management (submitted).

Tiru, M., Kuusik, A., Lamp, M-L., Ahas, R. 2010. LBS in marketing and tourism management: measuring destination loyalty with mobile positioning data. Journal of

Location Based Services, 4(2): 120-140.

Ahas, R. 2010. Mobile positioning data in geography and planning, Editorial. Journal of Location Based Services, 4(2): 67-69.

Silm,S., Ahas, R., 2010. 'The seasonal variability of population in Estonian municipalities, Environmnet and Planning A, (in press).

Tiru, M., Saluveer E., Ahas, R., Aasa, A. 2010. Web-based monitoring tool for assessing space-time mobility of tourists using mobile positioning data: Positium Barometer.

Journal of Urban Technology, 17(1): 71-89.

Ahas R. 2010. From the Guest Editor: Mobile Positioning and Tracking in Geography and Planning, Journal of Urban Technology, 17(1):1-2

Ahas, R., Silm, S., Järv, O., Saluveer E., Tiru, M. 2010. Using Mobile Positioning Data to Model Locations Meaningful to Users of Mobile Phones , Journal of Urban

Technology, 17(1): 3-27.

Ahas, R. Aasa, A., Silm, S., Tiru, M. 2010. Daily rhythms of suburban commuters’ movements in the Tallinn metropolitan area: case study with mobile positioning data.

Transportation Research C, 18: 45–54.

Tammaru, T., Leetmaa K., Silm, S, Ahas, R. 2008 New residential areas in the Tallinn Metropolitan Area. European Planning Studies, European Planning. Stud 17(3):

423-439

Ahas, R. Aasa, A., Roose, A., Mark, Ü., Silm, S. 2008. Evaluating passive mobile positioning data for tourism surveys: An Estonian case study. Tourism Management

29(3): 469–486.

Ahas, R., Aasa, A., Silm, S., Aunap, R., Kalle, H., Mark, Ü. 2007. Mobile positioning in space-time

behaviour studies: Social Positioning Method experiments in Estonia. Cartography and Geographic Information Science 34(4): 259-273.

Ahas, R., Aasa, A., Mark, Ü., Pae, T., Kull, T. 2007. Seasonal tourism spaces in Estonia: case study with mobile positioning data. Tourism Management 28(3): 898–910.

Ahas, R., Mark, Ü. 2005. Location based services – new challenges for planning and public administration? Futures, 37(6): 547-561.

Book chapters

Ahas, R. 2010.Mobile positioning in mobility studies. In: Mobile Methods (Büscher, M., Urry, J., Witchger K eds.) Routledge, pp. 183-199.

Kuusik, A.; Ahas, R.; Tiru, M. 2010. The ability of turism events to generate destination loyalty towards the country: an Estonian case study. Mäeltsamees, S.; Reiljan, J.

(Toim.). XVIII rahvusvaheline majanduspoliitika teaduskonverents Majanduspoliitika Eesti riikides – aasta 2010 (156 - 175).Berliner Wissenchafts-Verlag, Mattimar.

Kuusik, A., Ahas, R., Tiru, M. 2009. Analysing Repeat Visitation on Country Level wirh Passive Mobile Positioning Method: An Estonian Case Study. XVII Scientific

Conference on Economic Policy, Estonia 1–3.07.2009 in Tartu and Värska.

Ahas, R., Pechlaner, H., Nilbe, K. 2009. Developing event marketing strategies with mobile telephone positioning data: case study with Lindora agricultural fair in Estonia.

Events and meeting in the city, Göteborg, Sweden, 17.-20.06.2009, conference proceedings.

Ahas, R., Silm, S, Saluveer, E. and Järv, O. 2008. Modelling Home and Work Locations of Population Using Passive Mobile Positioning Data. In: G. Gartner and K. Rehr

(Eds.) Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, Location Based Services and TeleCarography II, From Sensor Fusion to Contexts Models, Springer, pp 301-

315.

Ahas, R., Saluvee, E., Tiru,M. and Silm, S. 2008.Mobile Positioning Based Tourism Monitoring System: Positium Barometer. In: O’Connor, P., Höpken, W. and Gretzel, U.

(Eds.), Springer Computer Science: Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, pp. 475-485.

Ahas, R., Aasa, A., Silm, S., Tiru, M. 2007. Mobile positioning data in tourism studies and monitoring: case study in Tartu, Estonia. In: Sigala, M., Mich, L., Murphy, J.

(Eds.), Springer Computer Science: Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism, ISBN: 978-3-211-69564-7, pp. 119-128.

Ahas, R., Laineste, J., Aasa, A., Mark, Ü. 2007. The Spatial Accuracy of Mobile Positioning: Some experiences with Geographical Studies in Estonia. In: Gartner, G.,

Cartwright, W., Peterson, M.P. (Eds.) Location Based Services and TeleCartography. Lecture Notes in Geoinformation and Cartography, Springer, ISBN: 978-3-540-

36727-7 (pp 122-146).