Assignment #2: Data update 1

Hello,

In my second blog entry, I will talk about my idea for my Final Report Data Report due on December 5th,2016. Here are my answers to the four questions posed by our instructor.

1.What dataset will you use for your final report? (describe your
dataset, include a link to it and claim it at the URL above).

For my final report, I will be analyzing the use of mobile phones in Sub Saharan Africa. The dataset that I plan use will be retrieved from the International Telecommunication Union(ITU). Furthermore, I will also get additional data on total population, GDP and population with access to electricity in Sub-Saharan Africa from the World Bank.  By reviewing both data set, I should have a good insight on the future outlook of mobile phones in Sub Saharan Africa. 

I will also use online articles to support my arguments on the data. My early research on the topic shows that mobile phones have allowed Sub Saharan Africa to jump into the digital age by skipping the normal progression from landlines to mobile phones as seen in the West. I am excited to analyze the dataset, and use data visualization tools to share my findings.

2. Describe the dataset. What kind of data does it contain?

I will combine dataset from multiple sources. The dataset from ITU contain mobile-cellular and fixed-telephone subscriptions by country from 2005 until 2015. Both dataset show the number of mobile cellular and fixed-telephone subscriptions in millions and per 100 inhabitants by country. 

Dataset from the World Bank contains a number of key indicators such as the percentage of total population in Saharan Africa from 2005 to 2015. This dataset will be useful when looking for answers on correlation between development and mobile phone use in Sub Saharan Africa.

 3. Is there anything about your data that you don’t understand? (i.e.
what a column heading means). How will you find this out?

My data is straightforward. ITU and the World Bank do an excellent job in explaining all key indicators in their data. Since I plan to focus on Sub-Saharan Africa, I will need to filter my data to those countries only. The World Bank provides a list of countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

4. What are some questions you hope to answer with your data? List at
least three. (you don’t need the answers at this point)

• What is the growth rate (if any) over the last ten years of mobile-cellular subscriptions in Sub Saharan Africa?
• How does this trend in mobile-cellular subscriptions compare to fixed telephone subscriptions?
• Knowing that Sub Saharan Africa is considered a developing region, what conclusions can we make about mobile-cellular subscriptions and development? 
• What are the top 10 countries in Sub Saharan Africa with most mobile-cellular subscribers? Are these countries the most competitive economies in Sub Saharan Africa?