FAQs


What makes Mobile Researcher so unique?

Field research can be a labour-intensive, slow, error-prone and expensive process. Mobile Researcher leverages web and mobile technologies to allow surveys to be designed online and deployed to standard mobile phones and other devices.

Visit our features section for details on some of the remarkable possibilities.

What is a channel?

A channel is simply a technology used to conduct a survey. Mobile Researcher supports several channels including mobile application, WAP and SMS channels.

Each channel has its own features and limitations. The mobile application channel is the most feature-rich mobile channel available but has slightly greater handset requirements than the WAP channel for example.

Which handsets are supported?

Many hundreds of devices are supported, including low cost handsets. The specific list of handsets available depends on which channel you would like to use. Visit our device support section for further details.

Can I export responses to standard formats?

Yes, you can export responses to Microsoft Excel, CSV and XML formats.

Can I design my own surveys?

Yes, you do not need to submit your surveys to us to be "loaded" onto the phone. Once you've signed up, you can design as many surveys as you like online and deploy them to an appropriate channel.

How much does Mobile Researcher cost?

Because Mobile Researcher is a hosted solution, you don't pay to download or license any software. Billing is on a per survey basis. You purchase credit with us and as you conduct surveys, funds are deducted from your account (similar to how pre-paid airtime works). This means you only pay for what you use.

Pricing is dependent on the number of questions per survey and expected volumes so please contact us with information on your usage requirements. Any unused funds are carried over for future studies.

How many questions can a survey have?

Using the mobile application channel, the number of questions a single survey can contain is limited only by the specifications of the phone. Even low end phones support surveys of up to a hundred questions. Higher specification phones can support much longer surveys.

Can surveys be conducted in remote areas where there is no cellular reception?

Yes, using the mobile application channel, cellular reception is only required to download surveys initially and then to upload completed responses. Using this channel, surveys are conducted offline and stored on the handset until reception is available. The WAP and SMS channels require reception during the course of the survey however.

Contact us

Owned and operated by Clyral:

Sharecall (RSA only): 0861 259 725

International: +27 31 765 3679

Email: info@populi.net

Featured case study

The Medical Research Council of South Africa is mandated by legislation to promote and conduct research for the improvement of health and quality of life of the public.

Mobile Researcher was selected by the MRC to fulfill its data collection needs for a large-scale baseline study conducted in Umlazi, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Read the full case study.