How can mobile phone data be used for government policy development?

Putting mobile phone data to work for public policy

Across many high-income countries, governments are struggling to modernise how they design and deliver policy, often constrained by legacy systems, fragmented data, and a lack of real-time insights. While elected leaders call for smarter, more efficient public services, the tools available to them frequently lag behind expectations. At the same time, mobile network operators have yet to fully explore the value of repurposing anonymised mobile phone data (MPD) to support evidence-based decision-making. Paradoxically, some of the most innovative examples of MPD use are emerging not in the wealthiest nations, but in lower-income countries where traditional data sources are limited.

With global challenges intensifying—from climate shocks to health emergencies—governments increasingly require timely and location-specific data. When properly safeguarded and anonymised, mobile data offers significant potential to improve the way governments monitor change, plan responses, and deliver services.

Understanding how people move and live

Mobile data offers powerful insights into population movement, social patterns, and human proximity. These data include call detail records (CDRs), mobile app location data, and signals collected by telecom infrastructure. Though originally created for operational purposes, when aggregated and anonymised, these data can help governments understand population flows, detect behavioural trends, and respond to rapid changes.

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, several governments used MPD to monitor compliance with public health measures, identify areas of high transmission risk, and evaluate the effectiveness of lockdowns. Beyond health, similar applications can support urban mobility planning, environmental monitoring, disaster preparedness, and economic development strategies.

From emergency response to forward planning

MPD is not only useful in crises. It can enhance national statistics and planning in countries with limited data infrastructure. In Haiti, for instance, where the most recent census data is from 2003, MPD has provided rapid and relevant insights during natural disasters, disease outbreaks, and infrastructure assessments. In such contexts, traditional surveys and censuses are often too slow, infrequent, or costly to offer timely guidance.

Mobile data allows for real-time decision-making and helps answer essential policy questions such as how populations are changing, what is driving those changes, what is likely to happen next, and what impacts current policy decisions are having. This adaptability makes MPD a flexible and scalable asset across sectors.

Also see our article on: 'Cellular network data insights to support strategic decisions' - click here

The privacy and security challenge

Using MPD responsibly requires strong privacy protections, governance standards, and ethical safeguards. To gain and maintain public trust, data must be anonymised, stored securely, and used transparently. Policies must clearly define acceptable use cases, restrict access, and prevent data misuse. Many of the use cases emerging have shown that this is achievable and that the risks are manageable.

To support ethical use, international institutions have developed standards, tools, and methodological guidance. The UN Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics, for instance, has produced a series of guides that outline good practices for collecting, processing, and using MPD to complement traditional statistics. These guides highlight use cases in tourism, migration, transport, and disaster response—demonstrating how MPD can strengthen policy design and delivery.

Building systems, not just pilots

Although pilot projects and case studies illustrate the potential of MPD, many countries have not yet institutionalised its use. According to the World Development Report: Data for Better Lives 2021, fewer than 20% of low- and middle-income countries have the capacity to use advanced data sources like MPD in policymaking. Most existing efforts are small in scale and lack long-term support.

To move beyond pilots, governments must commit to mainstream adoption. This includes investing in data infrastructure, developing legal frameworks, building technical capacity, and forming strong partnerships with mobile operators. Collaborative efforts are required to unlock the full value of MPD and embed its use within national statistical and planning systems.

The Global Data Facility, hosted by the World Bank, has been created to support this transition. It aims to help 30 countries by 2030 integrate MPD into their national data ecosystems. By combining funding, technical support, and cross-country learning, the Facility seeks to build sustainable systems that are equipped to deliver continuous, privacy-preserving insights.

Examples driving global learning

Practical examples show that MPD can be deployed rapidly to support decision-making in complex settings. In Haiti, MPD has been used to guide responses to epidemics, natural disasters, and population displacement. These applications have delivered timely insights that would not have been possible using conventional data sources alone.

Around the world, governments are working with international institutions to build their capacity to use MPD effectively. Technical workshops, operational training, and data-sharing arrangements help countries understand the value of MPD and prepare their systems to handle it responsibly. Shared learning is essential to ensure that innovations can be adapted to different contexts and scaled in a sustainable way.

The Global Data Facility supports this through country cohorts that bring together public agencies, telecom operators, regulators, and researchers. These collaborative groups work to develop legal, technical, and operational frameworks, enabling MPD to be used effectively across a range of policy areas.

A call for strategic investment

The gap between what is possible with MPD and what is currently being implemented remains wide. While the technology exists, many countries lack the financial, institutional, or legal frameworks to turn small-scale projects into sustained systems. Without strong incentives or short-term commercial returns, mobile operators are unlikely to prioritise MPD for public policy applications without government involvement.

Strategic investment is needed to build long-term, integrated data ecosystems. The economic case is strong: studies suggest that every dollar invested in national data systems can generate returns of around thirty dollars, through better-targeted interventions and more efficient resource use.

To fully realise the benefits, governments must treat MPD as a core component of their data strategies. That means updating legislation, securing stable funding, building partnerships, and strengthening public trust. It also means aligning MPD use with other emerging data sources, such as satellite imagery and administrative records, to provide a richer picture of social and economic change.

Conclusion - shifting from potential to practice

Mobile phone data holds immense potential to strengthen public decision-making. It provides fast, granular, and cost-effective insights into how societies move, grow, and change. Yet its use in government policy remains underdeveloped. Moving forward will require coordination across sectors, clear safeguards, and targeted investments in infrastructure and capacity.

Countries that embrace MPD now will be better equipped to respond to future shocks, design smarter public services, and make better use of limited resources. Those that delay risk falling behind in a data-driven world. The tools are available. The challenge is to turn potential into practice—and make mobile data a trusted, routine part of the policymaker’s toolkit.

See https://www.georgejamesconsulting.com/ for more.

References

Buckee, C., Balsari, S., Chan, J., Crosas, M., Dominici, F., Gasser, U., ... & Lazer, D. (2020). Aggregated mobility data could help fight COVID-19. Science, 368(6487), 145–146. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abb8021

Flowminder Foundation. (2022). Using Mobile Phone Data for Development. Retrieved from https://www.flowminder.org

United Nations Committee of Experts on Big Data and Data Science for Official Statistics. (2023). Methodological Guides on Mobile Phone Data for Official Statistics. Retrieved from https://unstats.un.org/bigdata/taskteams/mobilephone

World Bank. (2021). World Development Report 2021: Data for Better Lives. Washington, DC: World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2021