MapIT's advanced Web Mapping API provides key benefits for local users

MapIT, a leading enabler of digital mapping technologies in South Africa and Africa, is offering African-based businesses and consumers a unique Web Mapping API, which is rapidly gaining popularity and earning a loyal community of users. MapIT's showcase API can be viewed at www.mapservice.co.za.

“We are extremely proud of the Web Mapping API, which is constantly attracting new clients and becoming an integral part of many business' daily operations,” says MapIT Managing Director, Etienne Louw. “Our mapping data is of the highest possible standard, and is continuously proving to be far more advanced and accurate than that of our competitors. Bundling it with a top mapping API just made business sense.”

With its distinctive set of features - including a 100% on-site standalone API and Live Traffic feeds through TomTom Africa - users are increasingly choosing the MapIT Web Mapping API over other offerings. According to testimonies by those who have chosen MapIT, there are four major advantages to the MapIT Web Mapping API: quality of the map data both in South Africa and in Africa, local support, technology/data updates, and licence cost.

What is critical for our users is the superior quality of MapIT's map data. In partnership with shareholder TomTom Africa, MapIT covers 10 southern African countries and has approximately 1 783 561km of roads, while its main competitor covers just six southern African countries and has approximately 666 306km of roads. MapIT does not only have greater reach, but has also proven to be far more accurate and reliable with its data. Routes provided by competitors have been plagued with problems, such as roads leading to nowhere or into buildings, non-existent roads, and marked communities, when in fact nothing exists but vacant lands. “It is expensive to maintain such a high quality of product, but we are committed to stay the best and will keep on investing to stay ahead of our competitors,” says Louw.

Research has shown that 15% of roads change every year. MapIT, together with their shareholder TomTom Africa, remains the dominant supplier of accurate location-based content for Africa, and because of this relationship, MapIT is able to help their clients expand into global markets, with over 104 countries and territories and 34.8 million kilometres of road covered globally.

MapIT is a local company operating during normal business hours, and is therefore highly accessible, and only a phone-call away when support is needed. Similarly, when development or modifications are motivated for, MapIT is quick to respond to such requests, and to make the necessary adjustments/changes. MapIT also offers cost-effective solutions that are competitively priced.

“Being local means we can offer solutions that match local needs, not to mention rapid response and quality of support. At MapIT, we are fully committed to providing a smooth user experience, which makes the use of our digital maps easy and enjoyable, at minimal cost to our clients,” adds Louw.