IBUC 2006 Abstract

A CAPI System with Wireless Telecommunications
Norberts Talers & Palvels Onutrijevs ; Central Statistical Bureau, Latvia

The CSB of Latvia established a CAPI system in 2005 and the first data collection will be Labour force survey
starting in January 2006. The arrangements of the telecommunications were very difficult to design because of the
lack of fixed telephone lines with some interviewers and varying telephone technology in different parts of the
country.

Wireless telecommunications system utilizing the GPRS / EDGE –technology appeared to be the easiest and most
inexpensive solution. The GPRS coverage is good in all parts of Latvia. In the current system data to and from
interviewer is sent as an FTP-transfer via a GPRS connection. Connection times are few minutes at most and the
cost is by the amount of transferred data.

The poster will present the technical solution of the system and demonstrate the system (provided there is
functioning GPRS available). By the time of the conference there will be also available some statistics on how the
system has worked.

Contact: norberts.talers@cbs.gov.lv