Cell phone coverage in Nepal has increased dramatically over the last five years. High levels of cellphone ownership in the country—even in rural areas—presents an opportunity to conduct representative mobile phone surveys. Mobile surveys would be especially useful to reach certain populations; such as younger Nepalis and those living in geographically inaccessible areas.
My presentation will look at the challenges and opportunities of conducting mobile phone surveys in Nepal. I will map cell phone availability to look at geographic coverage. In addition to coverage it is necessary to understand willingness to engage in a phone survey. I will examine processes used in recent mobile phone surveys and information from call-backs conducted for non-cellphone surveys to gauge respondent interest in participating in such surveys.
The data sources will be cellphone coverage information from the major carriers—NTCS, NCell, etc. Call back information will be obtained from surveys firms such as IDA, Fulbright, and Solutions Consultant. Information from the World Bank’s Skillls Training for Migrants survey of done on cellphone will be looked as the case study for mobile surveys.Looking at cellphone coverage and recent experience in conducting surveys over the phone will help ascertain whether mobile phone surveys can be done to get reliable results in Nepal.