Bing Maps switches to TomTom for base map data

TomTom is now the leading location data provider for Microsoft Azure and Bing Maps.

What you need to know

• Microsoft and TomTom expanded their partnership.
• The partnership incorporates TomTom's map and traffic data into Microsoft Azure and Bing.
• As a result of the partnership, Bing maps switches to TomTom for base map data in regions outside of China, Japan, and South Korea.

Microsoft and TomTom are rolling out the results of their expanded partnership which was first announced in February 2019. The partnership includes TomTom's map and traffic data being incorporated into Microsoft Azure and Bing and TomTom using Azure as its preferred cloud provider. As a result of the partnership, TomTom provides the base map data for Bing Maps in all regions except China, Japan, and South Korea.

The new TomTom base map data started rolling out to Bing.com in March. Today, the Bing Maps platform begins its migration to the new base map data. Microsoft states in a blog post that customers of the Bing Maps Platform will automatically be migrated to the new base map data source. While the base map data source is changing, REST APIs and SDKs that are part of the Bing Maps Platform will continue to work.

When Microsoft and TomTom first announced the partnership, Ander Truelsen, managing director, TomTom Enterprise said,

TomTom is proud of the relationship we've built with Microsoft to offer Microsoft Azure customers access to build location-aware applications and look forward to deepening that relationship as we extend our high-quality location technologies to an even larger audience base. We're excited to be chosen as the location data provider to power mapping services across all of Microsoft, including Bing, Cortana, Windows and many other leading products and the innovations that will come forward in this continued relationship.

The Azure Maps SDK, which uses TomTom services, can collect real-time data, such as parking meter rates and street-specific traffic.