3. Scope of the Handbook

Although there is no specific ICT-related SDG target, there are many relevant ways in which ICT can help accelerate achievement of the SDGs, contribute towards guaranteeing rights, and monitor the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. One of the key rights impacted by ICT is the right to have access to information, which is a cornerstone for achieving all other rights and a requirement for its measurement.Among the large number of indicators included in the SDG monitoring framework there are some, not listed, that relate directly to technology.

The global indicator framework includes seven ICT indicators covering six targets under SDGs 4, 5, 9 and 17. ITU is the responsible international organisation for monitoring five of the seven ICT indicators in the SDG statistical framework and in assisting countries to leverage the power of ICTs to meet the SDGs (Figure 1). Three of these five ICT indicators are produced from household surveys. However, some countries do not conduct official household surveys to collect information on ICT access and use. This poses a challenge in implementing and monitoring the SDGs. Moreover, in most cases where household surveys exist, only national data are available, with no subnational disaggregation to map underserved areas.

Figure 1. ICT Indicators in the SDG global indicator framework monitored by ITU

This Handbook describes methodologies and processes to use mobile phone big data and open-source data to calculate two of the five ICT indicators currently monitored by ITU:

• SDG indicator 17.8.1: Proportion of individuals using the Internet
• SDG indicator 9.c.1: Proportion of the population covered by a mobile network.

It is not possible to calculate Indicators 4.4.1 Proportion of youth and adults with ICT skills, by type of skills and 17.6.2 Fixed Internet broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, by speed using MPD. While MPD could theoretically be used to calculate Indicator 5.b.1 Proportion of individuals who own a mobile telephone the conclusion from the ITU pilots was that it is currently not possible to calculate target 5.b.1, for three reasons:

• In some countries, subscriber identification module (SIM) registration is not yet in place.
• MNOs often do not have good-quality gender data. Some sell prepaid SIM cards that are not registered to a person, and many SIM cards that are registered to an individual are in fact registered to one member of a family or to a legal entity.
• Ascertaining the number of people who have a phone is challenging, as many people might have two or even more SIM card numbers, and others change SIM cards often. IMEI can be used to distinguish single mobile phones used for multiple SIM cards, but that would have to be done for all MNOs and would fail to detect people who use physically different mobile phones.

Because of these complexities, it was decided that SDG indicator 5.b.1. would not be calculated in the pilot studies. However, in view of the current trend to build digital identities, it may be possible in the future to calculate this indicator in countries that have registries of people's IDs and SIM numbers.

The methodologies and processes described in this Handbook can be used in countries that do not conduct ICT household surveys in the short and medium term. It will directly benefit the following stakeholders:

• telecommunication regulators and ICT ministries who will obtain timely estimates and benchmarks for SDG monitoring and implementation, enabling policy-makers to monitor progress on SDGs 5, 9 and 17 (fine-grained disaggregated data on Internet users will enable targeted policies for digital inclusion; disaggregated data on mobile network coverage will inform policies targeting the infrastructure);
• NSOs who will be able to produce statistics even for indicators that they do not collect from official surveys. Moreover, the experiences gained in applying big data analytics to data from mobile phone operators will contribute to statistical capacity building needed to produce other indicators in the SDG monitoring framework that go beyond the ICT sector;
• investors, donors and development banks who will gain new information on the uptake of mobile services and the Internet, contributing to unlock new investment and to heighten its impact by better targeting;
• operators and Internet service providers (ISPs) who can benefit from better representation of their contribution to national ICT development. Detailed data on Internet usage and mobile uptake can also serve to inform the launch of innovative industry services and applications. Data on mobile infrastructure can help to inform private investment in new infrastructure, including initiatives from operators and other stakeholders.

The methodologies described in this Handbook have been piloted in two countries: Brazil and Indonesia. Both countries have conducted ICT household surveys which makes it possible to check the feasibility of using MPD to measure the information society by comparing the results with official survey data. To ascertain whether MPD can be used to supplement existing household survey data, or provide satisfactory estimates if no survey exists, it is important that the MPD estimates are as close as possible to official survey results.