Telecommunications Statistics - Quarterly

Detailed information for first quarter 2001

Status:

Active

Frequency:

Quarterly

Record number:

2721

This survey collects financial and operating data for the statistical measurement and analysis of the telecommunications industry.

Data release - September 28, 2001

Description

The information collected as part of the Quarterly Survey of Telecommunications serves two broad objectives. The first is to measure the financial performance and economic contribution of the telecommunications sector. To meet this objective the survey collects information on revenues and expenses by type, employment and investments. The second broad objective is to measure the deployment and use of the telecommunications infrastructure. To meet this objective the surveys collects data on the number of fixed and wireless accesses by type and on telecommunications traffic.

The estimates from this survey are used by:

· policy and industry analysts to monitor the performance of the industry and assess the impact of policy;
· international telecommunications organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union and the OECD to study the importance of this sector and of the ICT sector in various economies;
· investment dealers, consultants and others for market analysis;
· Statistics Canada for the production of the country's monthly production accounts.

The Quarterly Survey of Telecommunications is an output of the Telecommunications Statistical Infrastructure and Economic Analysis Program undertaken by Statistics Canada and Industry Canada in 1996. This program's objective is to update statistics concerning the telecommunications industries. The many technological and regulatory changes affecting the industry motivated the redesign of the statistical program.

The survey was launched in 1999 to complement information from an annual census of the industry and to provide more timely information on an industry that is going through significant structural changes as a result of a new competitive environment and rapid technological changes.

Statistical activity

Science and technology (S&T) and the information society are changing the way we live, learn and work. The concepts are closely intertwined: science generates new understanding of the way the world works, technology applies it to develop innovative products and services and the information society is one of the results of the innovations.

People are looking to Statistics Canada to measure and explain the social and economic impacts of these changes.

The purpose of this Program is to develop useful indicators of S&T activity in Canada based on a framework that ties them together in a coherent picture.

Subjects

  • Business, consumer and property services
  • Business performance and ownership
  • Financial statements and performance
  • Information and communications technology
  • Information and culture
  • Telecommunication industries

Data sources and methodology

Target population

This survey targets the largest establishments of the telecommunications sector, as defined by category 5133 - Telecommunications of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS, see "additional documentation" link). The telecommunications sector consists of establishments primarily engaged in the provision of fixed or mobile telecommunications services. It includes establishments offering a full or limited range of voice and data telecommunication products and services using their own network or reselling the services of others. This sector does not include Internet Service Providers.

Instrument design

The survey instruments were developed with the assistance of an Advisory Group consisting of data users and suppliers. The Group was convened to provide subject matter expertise, to reflect industry and academic insights and to take into consideration industry needs and constraints.

The questionnaires proposed by the Advisory Group were tested with a sample of potential respondents. These respondents were asked to evaluate whether the information requested was readily available in their information systems, could be estimated without undue response burden, or could not be provided. The final questionnaires were designed taking the results of this test into consideration.

The quarterly survey currently uses 2 questionnaires, one targeting units of the wireline industry, the other targeting units of the wireless industry.

Sampling

This is a sample survey with a cross-sectional design.

Error detection

In order to identify, minimise and correct errors, the following quality control measures are applied to the data:

. A manual audit is performed to ensure that the questionnaire coverage is as anticipated and that a complete response has been provided.
. During the capture process, the data are subjected to computerised edits. These edits are designed to ensure the accuracy and coherence of the reported data.
. Where possible, the reported data are compared to publicly available financial information and major discrepancies are investigated.
. A quarter-over-quarter comparison is made to identify any extreme or unexplained changes in reported data.

All unusual occurrences are queried for confirmation and clarified with the respondents concerned.

Imputation

Manual imputations are done at the establishment level. One of 3 methods is normally used to impute for a missing, invalid or inconsistent response:

· Data submitted by a respondent for a previous period are used to impute data for the current period.
· Imputation for partial or total non-response by a respondent is made on the basis of a full response by a respondent with similar characteristics.
· Total industry or sub-industry weights or averages are used to impute missing variables.

Estimation

The overall estimates are derived from two components. A survey of larger establishments above a prescribed threshold is conducted using a mailed questionnaire. The annual survey, a census of telecommunications service providers, is used to produce undercoverage estimates for selected variables for those establishments that are not surveyed on a quarterly basis. Variables which may be subject to wide variation from period to period, such as captial expenditures and non-operating revenues and expenses, are not estimated for non-surveyed establishments.

Coverage rates are calculated by determining how much of total industry activity is attributed to the current quarterly respondents, using the most recent annual data available, taking into consideration buy-outs, mergers and consolidations since that period. These ratios are applied to the current quarter data. The coverage rate for operating revenues is estimated at about 93%.

Undercoverage estimates for access lines are not adjusted between quarters because the observed growth in surveyed establishments (large incumbents and entrants) is not expected to be replicated by non-surveyed establishments (small, often rural, service providers). The undercoverage estimate simply reflects the number of access lines of the non-surveyed establishments for the most recent annual data available. Mobile subscriber undercoverage has not been adjusted between quarters, not because non-surveyed establishments are thought to be static, but because these establishments constitute such a small share of the industry that any change attributable to them would be negligible.

Disclosure control

Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Various confidentiality rules are applied to all data that are released or published to prevent the publication or disclosure of any information deemed confidential. If necessary, data are suppressed to prevent direct or residual disclosure of identifiable data.

Data for a specific industry or variable may be suppressed (along with that of a second industry or variable) if the number of enterprises in the population is too low.

Revisions and seasonal adjustment

The time series from this survey are not yet benchmarked or seasonally adjusted. The relatively small number of observations explains this situation. There are plans to benchmark the main series when annual data becomes available for a more recent period. The quarterly estimates will then be adjusted to reflect the final figures for the relevant reference periods. The benchmarking process will consist of adjusting the level of quarterly statistics so that the sum of the 4 quarters for selected variable equals the final annual value. Once updated, historical quarterly series will be directly comparable to published annual series.

Revisions are necessary as more complete data become available. The nature of the telecommunications industry is such that respondents often contact Statistics Canada to update their data or to report errors in data they had previously reported. Revisions are made each quarter to reflect these changes or corrections in the data.

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