SSI Launches Smart Cell Sample Increasing Incidence Rates

AUSTIN, Texas, May 12, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- SSI, the pioneer and leader in random digit dialing (RDD) sample, announced today the launch of SSI Smart Cell™ Sample, the market research industry's most comprehensive cellular phone database with targetable geographic and demographic variables. As the latest advancement in SSI's long history of leading RDD sample offerings, Smart Cell Sample provides unmatched efficiencies in targeting participants and conducting survey research by phone.

Market researchers have been looking for ways to better target people by phone since the first commercially available handheld cellular phone was introduced in 1983. Since then, worldwide mobile phone subscriptions have grown to more than 7 billion. Publicly available data linking cell phone numbers to user addresses has been very limited. Additionally, market researchers have struggled to verify accuracy or update information.

Available in the United States, Smart Cell Sample is based on confirmed data from wireless service providers linking phone numbers with owners' addresses. Including more than 480 million telephone numbers, Smart Cell Sample is verifiable and updated regularly. Approximately 80 percent of working RDD cell numbers match to low-level geographic data, while up to 60 percent have a full suite of demographic data appended, including age, gender, name, ethnicity, income, occupation and education.

"With no publicly available cell phone directories, market researchers have been struggling for years to find a viable sample source for cell phone research," said Bob Fawson, SSI's chief product officer. "Smart Cell Sample is the largest database of cell numbers with rich geo and demographic variables. This means researchers can now be much more efficient with their data collection without sacrificing coverage and data quality."

Initial tests of Smart Cell Sample have shown dramatic gains in incidence and cost savings. Targeting 500 hard-to-reach 18-24 year olds increased incidence from 17 percent standard RDD cell phone to 31 percent Smart Cell Sample. This reduction of time and effort to field carries a cost savings potential of up to 31 percent. Using the database to reach 350 Hispanic respondents (another highly desirable demographic group) increased incidence from 27 percent RDD cell phone to 71 percent, with potential savings of up to 54 percent.

SSI is the premier global provider of sampling, data collection and data analytic solutions for consumer and business-to-business survey research, reaching respondents in 86 countries via Internet, telephone, mobile/wireless and mixed-access offerings. SSI staff operates from 25 offices in 18 countries, offering CATI, questionnaire design consultation, programming and hosting, online custom reporting and data processing. SSI's 3,300 employees serve more than 3,000 clients worldwide. Visit SSI at www.surveysampling.com.

SSI Smart Cell Sample is a trademark of Survey Sampling International LLC.

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SOURCE SSI (Survey Sampling International)