Comparability — Argentina [top]

Prior to 2010, land lines and cellular phone are included. In the 2010 census, this variable refers to whether the household has a landline telephone only.

Comparability — Armenia [top]

The 2001 census question simply indicates the presence of a telephone of some kind in the dwelling unit. The 2011 sample refers specifically to the presence of a fixed telephone in the housing unit.

Comparability — Belarus [top]

Across samples the census question refers to a telephone connected to a phone line or a radio telephone.

Comparability — Benin [top]

The 2013 census asked whether the household owns a landline that is in functional condition.

Comparability — Bolivia [top]

The question includes both cellular phones and landlines in 2001 and 2012.

Comparability — Botswana [top]

The 2001 sample does not specify the type of telephone in the household. The 2011 sample refers to a land line telephone in the household; cellular phones are asked about separately.

Comparability — Brazil [top]

The Brazil samples include extension lines from other households. The 1991 census explicitly stated that the question dealt with telephone lines or extensions, not telephone receivers. The 2010 sample specifies that this refers to a landline telephone in the housing unit.

Comparability — Burkina Faso [top]

In the 2006 sample, the variable indicates whether a landline telephone was owned by members of the household.

Comparability — Cambodia [top]

The underlying data reports the number of land-line phones owned by the household.

Comparability — Colombia [top]

The 1993 sample includes radio-telephones or other forms of electronic communication. The 2005 sample specifies a land telephone line.

Comparability — Côte d'Ivoire [top]

The question includes both cellular phones and landlines in 1998.

Comparability — Dominican Republic [top]

In 2002, "Yes" indicates the presence of a landline or cellular phone in the household. In 2010, "Yes" indicates the presence of a landline only.

Comparability — Ecuador [top]

The 2010 sample indicates whether a "conventional" telephone service is available to the household.

Comparability — Egypt [top]

The underlying data report the number of land-line phones owned by the household.

Comparability — El Salvador [top]

In 2007 the question explicitly refers to land-line telephones, but no distinction was made in 1992.

Comparability — Ethiopia [top]

Only the 2007 sample specifies a fixed or wireless telephone line, while excluding a mobile phone. The other samples simply ask if there is a telephone in the unit.

Comparability — Fiji [top]

In the 1996 sample, the question does not specify whether it refers to a landline or cellular telephone. In 2007 and 2014, the question refers only to landline telephones; cellular phones are asked about separately.

Comparability — Germany [top]

The data are perhaps based off of whether there is an number entry in the person census for "private telephone number in dwelling"; the data is then extrapolated to where if one person in the household is counted as having a phone, the entire household is as well.

Comparability — Guatemala [top]

The 1964 and 1981 samples ask only whether the household has a telephone.

Comparability — Haiti [top]

This variable indicates whether a telephone of any kind was used in the housing unit.

Comparability — Honduras [top]

In 2001, the census question includes telephones even if they are found in poor working condition awaiting repair. The 2001 question refers to a "phone", while in 2013 it specifically asks about a landline.

Comparability — Indonesia [top]

In 2005 the question explicitly includes both land-line and cellular phones, but the type of phone was not differentiated in enumeration. The concept of the question was about usage and whether or not a dwelling had access to a phone regardless of the type. In 2010 both land-line and cellular phones are explicitly included in the question, but unlike in 2005, the type of phone (land-line, cellular, or both) a dwelling had access to was differentiated in enumeration. The type of phone is preserved in the unharmonized variable. For this variable access to any kind of phone is coded as "Yes."

Comparability — Iran [top]

The census question refers explicitly to a land-line service. A separate unharmonized variable indicates if the phone available in the household was in use or not.

Comparability — Iraq [top]

The census question does not specify the type of phone.

Comparability — Israel [top]

The census questions are comparable across the 1972, 1983, and 1995 samples, without a mention of cell phones. The 2008 sample identifies separately cell phones from landlines; the information on cell phones is harmonized into CELL.

The census question in 2008 provides detail on whether the household had one or more than one landline, which is available in the corresponding unharmonized source variable.

Comparability — Italy [top]

The 2011 census asked whether a household member possesses at least one landline with active service.

Comparability — Jamaica [top]

The census instructions are inconsistent with the questionnaire labels; we privilege the questionnaire in our interpretation. We assume that cellular phones are not included in the response we code "yes" in this variable. Households that had access to a phone only via a neighbor's facility are coded to "no". See the unharmonized source variable for the original categories.

Comparability — Kenya [top]

In the 2009 sample, the variable indicates whether the household owned a landline telephone.

Comparability — Kyrgyzstan [top]

The data include any kind of telephone, including telephones in communal flats for common use.

Comparability — Laos [top]

The census question does not specify the type of phone.

Comparability — Malawi [top]

The 2008 census question does not specify the type of phone owned by the household and may include cellular phones; while in 2018 only landlines are considered.

Comparability — Malaysia [top]

The 1970-1990 samples indicate that the household had a working telephone of some kind. The 2000 sample specifies a fixed telephone line; there was a separate question for mobile telephones.

Comparability — Mexico [top]

In 2000, cell phones are included, unless owned by an employer. In 2010, 2015, and 2020, however, this question is specifically about land-lines only and cell phones are not included.

Comparability — Mongolia [top]

The 2000 census question indicates the presence of a telephone of some kind, without specifying the type.

Comparability — Morocco [top]

In 2004 and 2014, the census question includes only landlines.

Comparability — Mozambique [top]

The data in the 2007 and 2017 census questions refer to the household having a landline.

Comparability — Myanmar [top]

The 2014 sample includes only landlines.

Comparability — Nepal [top]

In 2011, this question is specifically about land-lines; cell phones are reported in a separate variable.

Comparability — Nicaragua [top]

The question only included land-lines.

Comparability — Palestine [top]

In 2007 the question explicitly refers to a land-line service, but it may include cell phones in 1997.

Comparability — Panama [top]

Before 2010, the census questions simply indicate the presence of a telephone of some kind. In 2010, this variable refers to "residential" telephones; there was a separate question for cellular phones.

Comparability — Paraguay [top]

The 2002 sample includes both installed telephone lines and cellular telephones in the responses.

Comparability — Peru [top]

The data in 1993, 2007, and 2017 refer to having a land-line telephone in the household.

Comparability — Philippines [top]

The 2010 census asks whether the household owns a landline or wireless telephone in working condition.

Comparability — Puerto Rico [top]

In 1970, the variable indicates whether the housing unit had access to a telephone on which they could receive calls. For the 1980-1990 samples, the variable indicates whether there is a telephone in the housing unit. For the 2000-2020 samples, the variable indicates whether there is telephone service available in the dwelling from which they can both make and receive calls, including cell phones.

Comparability — Rwanda [top]

In 2002, land lines and cellular phones are included. The 2012 census asked whether the household has a fixed line in functioning condition.

Comparability — Saint Lucia [top]

The variable indicates if there is telephone service in the household.

Comparability — Senegal [top]

The 1988 sample indicates the presence of a telephone line in the household. The 2002 sample indicates whether the household owns a telephone, including presumably a cellular phone. In 2013, the census question refers to a landline and a separate variable records information on cell phones. For information about cell phone availability in 2013, see CELL.

In 2002 and 2013, data is also collected on a telephone or fax-machine used for production purposes, which are included in PHONE.

The number of phones in 1988 is available in the unharmonized source variable.

Comparability — Sierra Leone [top]

The data report ownership of a land-line phone.

Comparability — South Africa [top]

In the 1996 sample, fixed-line phones and cell phones are included together. The question asked whether household members usually used a telephone in the dwelling. In this sample, answers indicating access to a telephone that was not located in the dwelling are classified as "no". See the unharmonized source variable for the original categories.

The 2001, 2007, 2011, and 2016 censuses asked separately about landline telephones and cell phones. This variable reports the presence of a functioning landline telephone in the household. For information about cell phone availability, see CELL.

Comparability — South Sudan [top]

This variable refers to whether a member of the household owns a landline telephone. Mobile phones are asked about separately.

Comparability — Sudan [top]

The variable refers to a land-line service.

Comparability — Suriname [top]

The 2012 sample includes only landlines. A separate variable records information on cell phones, which is harmonized into CELL.

Comparability — Tanzania [top]

The 2002 sample indicates whether the household owns a telephone of any kind. The 2012 sample specifies ownership of a land-line phone; cellular phones are asked about separately.

Comparability — Thailand [top]

The 1980 sample indicates if the household normally possesses a phone. The 1990 and 2000 samples indicate the number of phone lines, which is preserved in the unharmonized source variables.

Comparability — Togo [top]

In 2010, this question refers specifically to land-lines; cell phones are reported in a separate variable.

Comparability — Trinidad and Tobago [top]

The 1990 and 2000 samples do not specify the type of telephone in the household.

Comparability — Uganda [top]

The 2014 sample asks for the number of fixed-phones in the house, which are coded to yes/no responses in PHONE. Details on the number of phones are available in the corresponding unharmonized source variable.

Comparability — United States [top]

For 1960-1970, the variable indicates whether the housing unit had access to a telephone on which they could receive calls; the telephone could be located anywhere within or outside the housing unit, even in another building. For 1980-2005, an affirmative response means that the telephone was actually within the housing unit. The 2005 sample explicitly includes cellular phones. The 2010-2020 samples refer to a telephone service from which the household can both make and receive calls, and explicitly includes cellular phones.

Comparability — Uruguay [top]

Both 1985 and 1996 do not specify what type of phone the dwelling had access to.
The 2011 sample has one source variables concerning landlines and one source variable concerning cellular phones. In 2011, only landlines are reported in the integrated variable.

Comparability — Venezuela [top]

The 1970-1981 samples indicate the presence of a working telephone appliance; the 1990-2001 samples indicate telephone land-line service to the household.

Comparability — Vietnam [top]

The question asked about "usage" of a phone, regardless of ownership. The 2009 enumeration instructions indicate to include wireless telephones.

Comparability — Zambia [top]

The data are comparable across samples.