Over the last decade, how and where people migrate and move has evolved significantly. Human mobility data, or anonymized, aggregated information about how people move based on their cellular network locations, helps corporations and public entities discover population patterns at a granular level.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, human mobility data became more important than ever before as it was used to predict and illustrate to the public how infectious disease spreads and how it could be stopped.

However, even before COVID, public health researchers were already leveraging mobility data to create risk maps that help policymakers and healthcare workers reduce the threat of disease in high-risk parts of the world. Governments and policymakers have also been using mobility data for healthcare and public works planning for years. The ability to see mobility data that goes far beyond census data is helpful for making decisions about public works projects such as parks and recreation facilities, commercial and residential real estate development, city planning, and more.

Today, there is increased interest in mobility data from both the public and private sectors. For example, mobility data gathered from enabled smartphone apps has revealed how COVID altered movement patterns, both temporarily and long-term. As organizations navigate an ever-changing global landscape, they’re looking to human mobility data to help them make better strategic decisions for the future.