You might have read that mobile positioning data (MPD) has been identified by the United Nations as one of the big data sources with a great promise for its use in official statistics. Sounds great, does it not? But you probably have many questions. For instance: What exactly is mobile positioning data and how accurate is it? In this blog post, we have collected some of the most frequently asked questions we get from organisations that want to learn how to use MPD for tourism statistics, urban planning, transportation, or emergency management, just to name a few of the use cases we have worked on in the past. Keep reading and find out what MPD is and how it works!

Mobile positioning data helped the Ministry in charge of regional development and spatial planning in Estonia understand how municipalities are connected. Regional planners needed to understand the administrative units that are connected through daily and regular commuting. Based on mobile positioning data (MPD), Positium mapped the commuting pattern for the entire country of Estonia. MPD is the only relevant data source for a study of this magnitude, apart from the census. The results formed the basis of the regional development plan and are used for administrative border reform.