Building a comprehensive quality framework for the use of mobile network operator (MNO) data in official statistics: Results from multi-MNO project

Abstract

The Multi-MNO project, funded by Eurostat, aimed at the “Development, implementation and demonstration of a reference processing pipeline for the future production of official statistics based on Multiple Mobile Network Operator data”. Since official statistics should meet strict quality requirements – defined in the European Statistical System (ESS) by the European Statistics Code of Practice (ES CoP) – the project focused also on building a robust quality assurance framework. Drawing on existing literature and past international projects, the framework addresses institutional, organisational, methodological, and technical aspects of using MNO data. First, an analysis of ES CoP Principles and ESS Quality Assurance Framework Methods identified requirements for MNO data based statistics and opportunities to extend them to account for quality issues related to privately held data. Then, the quality assurance system for the pipeline was structured around input, throughput, and output quality. Error sources were identified, and metrics were developed to monitor them. A business process model and a quality reporting template for intermediate data were introduced. Output quality focused on validation methods and adapting ESS quality reporting standards. The paper summarises the main elements of the quality framework and presents examples of applications of the proposed quality metrics.