We've completed the worldwide rollout of TomTom Orbis Maps Addresses — capping a nine-month effort that began in June 2025. This is the largest upgrade to Bing Maps address data in years!
Starting with key European markets, we gradually rolled out Orbis data worldwide. Today, the majority of the addresses on Bing Maps come from Orbis. At a scale of over a billion user queries in the past year, that means better API results in Azure Maps and improved location experiences on Bing Maps , in Bing Search , and in Copilot .
Why Orbis?
This update builds on our longstanding partnership with TomTom, whose address data powered Bing Maps for years. TomTom Orbis Maps represents the next generation of their mapping platform — a single, continuously updated dataset designed for modern mapping. By transitioning to Orbis Addresses, we gain access to:
- Greater address coverage — many more address points worldwide.
- Improved positional accuracy — address points that land closer to their true geographic locations.
- Fresher data — Orbis Maps is built on a continuous update model, so address data stays current as the real world changes.
To learn more about Orbis Maps, visit the TomTom Orbis Maps information page .
How We Got Here: A Phased Rollout
Rather than a single global cutover, we took a deliberate, phased approach — starting with key European markets where the density and completeness of the new data delivered immediate, measurable improvements. From there, we expanded region by region until the rollout was worldwide.
This strategy was essential for an operation at Bing Maps' scale. Each phase followed the same playbook:
- Ingest and index the new address data for the target region.
- Compare coverage using address point counts and query resolution rates versus the existing corpus.
- Evaluate quality of positional accuracy and regression detection versus the existing baseline.
- Promote to production only when the new data met or exceeded the existing quality bar.
A Real-World Example
Here's what that looks like in practice. Microsoft Development Center Serbia is at Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 6a, Belgrade. Previously, searching for this address on Bing Maps returned a partial match to Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 6 — close, but not the right building. With Orbis address data, the same query now resolves to the exact address at 6a.
We have also chosen a fitting example, as the Bing Maps team in Serbia played a key role in this rollout.
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Bulevar Mihajla Pupina 6A on Bing Maps.
What's Next?
The rollout is done, but the work isn't. We will continue working with TomTom to onboard additional Orbis data layers and to refine address quality as new Orbis releases become available. The goal hasn't changed: deliver the best mapping experience we can, everywhere.
If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out via the feedback option on Bing Maps or the Bing Forums on Microsoft Q&A .
If you have an issue with any Bing Experience, please follow the guidance at How to report a concern or contact Bing .
Bogdan Bebić is a Software Engineer on the Bing Maps team at Microsoft, where he works on the foundational data that powers the map, focusing on data quality and the metrics that keep it accurate.
]]>This change is part of Microsoft’s broader unification strategy to consolidate mapping services under a single enterprise platform—Azure Maps. Microsoft Announced their Vision for Next Generation of Enterprise Maps May 21, 2024. This transition and unification of Bing Maps & Azure Maps brings enhanced capabilities, improved compliance, and a more modern developer experience with the same great Microsoft Mapping technologies and world-wide data.
What You Need to Know
- After June 30, 2025, Basic keys in Basic accounts will no longer function. This includes access to APIs like Geocoding, Routing, and Spatial Data Services and the Bing Maps SDKs
- Customers who wish to continue using Microsoft’s enterprise mapping services must either migrate to Azure Maps or upgrade to a paid Bing Maps Enterprise license before the deadline
- A comprehensive migration guide is available at Migrate from Bing Maps to Azure Maps overview - Microsoft Azure Maps | Microsoft Learn
- If you’re unsure whether your application is affected, check your usage in the Bing Maps Dev Center or reach out to the Maps Licensing team at MapLicQ@microsoft.com
What’s Next?
We’re actively supporting customers through this transition. Whether you’re a nonprofit, an internal Microsoft team, or a commercial user, we’ve got tailored guidance and support to help you migrate smoothly
If you’ve already started your migration—great! If not, now’s the time. Let’s make sure your applications keep running without interruption.
For more information, please review the following helpful links.
]]>Multi-vehicle route optimization is a proven approach to enhancing logistical efficiency and decreasing expenses for organizations that handle deliveries, pickups, service calls, and site visits. Regardless of whether you are a business or a non-profit organization, minimizing service costs while maximizing customer satisfaction can be challenging, particularly when managing numerous customer visit locations across your fleet of drivers each day.
As an example, let’s take a medium-sized organization that for a given workday has 1,000 customer site visits to complete and has 50 service delivery drivers spread across a defined geographic area. How do you decide which service delivery drivers should be assigned to which customer site visits? Which vehicles can deliver goods or services to those sites? Will someone be at that receiving location when the driver gets there? These are some of the critical elements to solve with any VRP solution.
.jpg "RouteSavvy-(1).jpg")
Example of RouteSavvy API PLUS optimized routes for three vehicles and 125 stop locations displayed on a map using the Azure Maps web SDK.
Factoring in business requirements and customer constraints
Remember that question, will someone be there when I deliver the goods or services? Optimized routes can factor in multiple availability time windows for visit locations, such as customer hours of operation so you don’t leave valuable deliveries unattended and helps ensure someone can let you into a property if you need to complete a scheduled service. It can also consider driver availability times, such as when any driver shift starts and ends as part of the itinerary plan so both the driver and customer will be available to make sure important service delivery happens.
RouteSavvy API PLUS + Microsoft Maps, better together
While RouteSavvy API PLUS can be used on its own, there are several Azure Maps services that can be used in combination with RouteSavvy API PLUS to provide even greater capabilities to your route planning and optimization needs. Here are a few Azure Maps features to highlight that can be used to enhance your VRP solution:
Address geocoding: For a VRP solution, visit locations and driver start/end locations in the API request use latitude/longitude coordinates. If you don’t have your location data formatted as latitude/longitude coordinates, you can use the Azure Maps Search Service to geocode your street address data before . Azure Maps offers highly accurate street address geocoding capabilities that are compatible with RouteSavvy API PLUS.
Map overlays: The Azure Maps Web SDK is a great map canvas to help your back office and drivers see the routes on a map as part of your route planning process or while the routes are being driven. Azure Maps satellite and aerial imagery can also provide drivers with additional context about customer visit locations such as where parking areas and building entrances are and any other physical landmarks that can quickly help drivers find their destination.
Weather info: Azure Maps Weather Services can be combined with a VRP solution like RouteSavvy API PLUS to provide your drivers with useful weather insights that can help them be prepared for extreme weather conditions that may impact customer visits on the route itineraries. Specifically, Severe Weather Alerts, Daily Forecasts and Weather Along a Route are some of the Azure Maps Weather features that can be useful in preparing for weather-related obstacles on your routes.
Getting started with RouteSavvy API PLUS
Migrating from the Bing Maps Multi-Itinerary Optimization API to RouteSavvy API PLUS is relatively easy, especially with the RouteSavvy API PLUS team at OnTerra Systems ready to assist you. RouteSavvy API PLUS offers a free trial and can be purchased via OnTerra Systems, Azure Marketplace or Microsoft AppSource.
For more information and RouteSavvy API PLUS technical documentation, please visit the OnTerra Systems RouteSavvy API PLUS website.
Erik Lindeman is the Director of Product Management & Professional Services at OnTerra Systems. He has over 20 years of experience delivering web-based software services and solutions to enterprise customers at Microsoft and now leads Product Management, Consulting and Solution Development Services at OnTerra Systems.
]]>We have prepared a range of resources to help you migrate to Azure Maps including webinars, comprehensive documentation and videos so that your migration is simple and stress free. These Webinars are available on demand to be available whenever you have time to check them out.
Getting Started with Azure Maps
In this session you get an overview of how you can get started on Azure Maps. The session covers account creation in Azure and shows you how to set up billing and understand how pricing works on Azure Maps.
Migrating to Azure Maps
In this session we cover everything you need to know to ensure a stress free migration. Learn about key differences in APIs between Azure Maps and Bing Maps as well as the many ways that Azure Maps helps build secure applications.
Azure Maps for Developers
Intended for developers, this session showcases the tools and resources available to help anyone get started and goes into depth into how to optimize applications to improve performance and reduce cost.
Azure Maps Pricing Calculator
This session takes you through how you can estimate your Azure Maps consumption if moving from Bing Maps for Enterprise. It goes through billing and how transactions are treated in Azure Maps and how to read the results.
Security, Compliance and Privacy with Azure Maps
This session takes you through the various security, privacy and compliance standards that Azure Maps adheres to. It also shows you how to securely use Azure Maps in an application and avoid security incidents.
Need Help?
Visit our previous blog, What are my options regarding Bing Maps for Enterprise Retirement?, to learn more about migrating and the options you have as a Bing Maps for Enterprise customer. Do you need help migrating your solution or just getting maps into your product? Click Help me Migrate for a list of companies that can assist you. If you have licensing questions please reach out to MapLicQ@Microsoft.com.
]]>Please see Deprecated features in the Windows client | Microsoft Learn for more details.
In May 2024 we announced the unification of Bing Maps for Enterprise with Azure Maps into the compliant Azure offering powered by the same Bing Maps data. If your solution leverages the Windows UWP control, we would like to request that you look to move to an Azure Maps based replacement before April 2026 rather than the end date for the entire Bing Maps for Enterprise platform.
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Bing Maps To Azure Maps Migration Guide Migrate from Bing Maps to Azure Maps overview - Microsoft Azure Maps | Microsoft Learn
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Hosting Azure Maps in WebView for a Windows Native Application;The Azure Maps SDK migration guide - Microsoft Azure Maps | Microsoft Learn
Should you need assistance with your migration, please reach out to MapLicQ@Microsoft.com.
Sincerely,
Microsoft Maps Team
If you are a Bing Maps for Enterprise Free Developer, Free Basic, Non-profit or Education customer you have a few options before June 30 2025. We are encouraging customers to move to Azure Maps as it is our best in class Microsoft Maps API platform for Enterprise Developers and will be where our innovation efforts will be focused. If for some reason you are unable to move before then we have an option to extend your usage until June 30 2028.
.jpg "card-landing-icon-azure-JPG-618x348-(1).jpg"){kind=icon} |
Migrating to Azure Maps.Bing Maps for Enterprise customers can move to Azure Maps and we have a range of supports available to help make migrations seamless. Whether you are in the middle of your contract or at the end. If you are an existing Azure customer you can start building for free with Azure Maps free transactions. Our team is available to advise on what are your options. |
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Staying on Bing Maps for Enterprise.Bing Maps for Enterprise license holders can continue to use Bing Maps in their applications until June 30,2028. You are able to renew your license for the maximum term. If you need help navigating licensing to meet your application requirements our sales team is ready to help you get the best solution for your needs. |
Need Help Deciding?
We have a dedicated team of advisors at MapLicQ@Microsoft.com that can help you determine if staying on Bing Maps is the right choice for you and if it is, they can help you get the right Enterprise License based on your consumption and need. If you are not sure, just fill out the form to help us assess your options to give the licensing team more details on your unique situation.
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Look for the little Radar image at the bottom left of the NoradSanta.org site
This image was image was generated with Bing's free AI Image Generator - Image Creator in Bing
One of the standout features of Radar is its ability to translate text on the fly, allowing for seamless multilingual interactions. Whether you're asking about Santa's current location or the history of NORAD's Santa tracking, Radar can provide answers in your preferred language.
Samples of Radar's responses in multiple languages
Radar also uses both indicated and stored language preferences, automatically translating messages based on these preferences across sessions. This means that once you've set your preferred language, and choose to "allow cookies", Radar will remember it for future interactions, making your experience even more personalized. Even without cookies, Radar will use the first language chosen as the preferred language with each new session.
Additionally, users can change their language while chatting with Radar at any time. Ask the same question in multiple languages and Radar will adjust accordingly, ensuring that you can switch languages to one of your preferences without any hassle.
With Radar the Elf, the NORAD Santa Tracker is more accessible and user-friendly than ever before. So, get ready to track Santa in your preferred language and enjoy a magical holiday season with NORAD and Microsoft Bing Maps. We have a few sample questions for Radar to get you started...
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When will Santa be at my house? |
It seems Santa typically arrives between 9 p.m. and midnight on Christmas Eve, but only when children are asleep! |
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How does Santa get all the way around the world in just one night? |
NORAD intelligence reports indicate that Santa does not experience time the way we do. It seems that Santa has this way of transcending time. We’ve estimated that he travels at the speed of starlight! |
So head over to the Official NORAD Tracks Santa site and meet Radar for yourself and try some questions like
- Where is Santa now?
- Does Santa ever get cold?
- Do reindeer eat cookies?
And be sure to return on December 24th to see where NORAD is tracking Santa on the big night!
]]>Why move to Azure Maps?
Whether you're a developer, a business owner, or an enterprise looking for advanced mapping solutions, Microsoft Azure Maps is ideal for your needs with a robust set of mapping, tracking, and spatial analytics features designed to help you build powerful solutions. We are encouraging all existing Bing Maps for Enterprise customers to move to Azure Maps as it is our best in class Maps API platform, is served by the same great Bing Maps data and services and is where our newest developer innovation efforts will be focused.
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Azure IntegrationAzure Maps is built on Azure. Which means you can easily integrate other Azure services into your application as well as extend functionality with services on the Azure Marketplace. |
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Advanced Spatial OperationsAnalyze and visualize geographic data in new and insightful ways with advanced spatial operations and analytics tools. |
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Compliance & SecurityTake advantage of Azure’s State-of-the-art privacy, security, and compliance, ensuring that your data and applications are protected with the industry's most stringent protection. |
How do I move my solution to Azure Maps?
Migrating to Azure Maps can be quick and easy. We have put together resources to help with migration. This guide aims to streamline your migration process by providing a step-by-step guide on how to move your Bing Maps based mapping solutions to Azure Maps at Migrate from Bing Maps to Azure Maps overview
Step #1 |
Sign up for a Free Azure SubscriptionCreate an Azure subscription by following the step-by-step instructions on this page. Sign up! or Sign in to your existing Azure SubscriptionThen move on to Step #2 |
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Step #2 |
Create an Azure Maps AccountLog into your Azure subscription using the Azure portal and create a new Azure Maps Account resource. Create an Azure Maps resource |
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Step #3 |
Get an Azure Maps Subscription KeyOnce your Azure Maps account is created, retrieve the subscription key that enables you to use the Azure Maps services. Get your key! |
Need Help?
We have prepared a few videos to help you get started with Azure Maps. You can also access resources to help with your migration including documentation, startup guides, and code samples below.
What is Azure Maps?In this video, we provide you with a quick overview of the capabilities and benefits of Azure Maps for your application. Azure Maps Documentation |
Azure Maps for DevelopersIn this video, we guide you through the application-building process with examples. Azure Maps Samples |
Resources
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Code SamplesIf you’re in a rush to get started, our collection of over 200 code samples can prove handy. Build out your geospatial solution seamlessly with a positive developer experience. Azure Maps Samples or Open Samples GitHub Project |
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Azure Maps SupportIn a bind with your Azure Maps development journey? Help is here. Explore quickstarts, how-to guides, tutorials, and API reference documentation to get started easily. Azure Maps Documentation |
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Azure Maps Quick Start GuidesOur quick start guides are there to help you to get your use case up and running quickly with detailed examples and explanations on using Azure Maps APIs. Quickstart: Create an Application |
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Azure Maps Tech CommunityNeed more feedback for your Azure Maps migration? Reach out to the Azure community and get support from Microsoft engineers and community experts. Join the Community |
Still Have Questions Regarding Licensing?
Current Bing Maps for Enterprise customers can reach out to MapLicQ@Microsoft.com for information on migrating their current Bing Maps for Enterprise usage to Azure Maps
]]>
As you can see from our sample screen shot, once you have your home and work locations set in the application, Bing Maps will show you your commute time right in the widget.
This has been available since the experience launched last August (See our previous blog at Get live traffic updates from Bing Maps on your phone! | Maps Blog). To provide feedback, just shake the phone and an option to provide feedback appears.
It is through this feedback that Commuters told us that they go to more places than just work and home so could they please have the ability to add more places to commute to and from, so we did it!
Just press the “+” sign in the commute screen and the “Add a place dialog will pop up and offer you to either enter a location or choose one from the map.
So as requested, we have started the new extra destinations experience for Android Commute option within the Bing Application for Android.
This feature will allow users to add destinations other than their home and work locations as the users have spoken and said they'd like to add other locations for their Commute, such as their kid's school, or additional work locations.
| Commute Settings Before | Commute Settings After | |
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You can see a major change just by looking at the settings now available to you within the Bing Maps Commute feature |  |
| Commute Experience Before | Commute Experience After | |
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The new commute map now shows far more stops and options based on the unique needs of the specific commuter |  |
The Bing Maps Commute team would like to thank you for the great feedback and would like to know what you think! Just open the Bing App on your Android phone and try it out for yourself then shake the phone to let us know your thoughts.
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Microsoft is unifying its enterprise maps product offerings under Azure Maps to enable customers to do more with location-based services. This change means that Bing Maps for Enterprise will be retired. Beginning June 30, 2024, no new customers can license Bing Maps for Enterprise. Bing Maps for Enterprise services and product support will end on June 30, 2028.
“The latest updates to our Enterprise Maps offering reflects our commitment to increasing access and eliminating complexity, by bringing more of our enterprise APIs and SDKs under Azure Maps we can deliver more innovation for our customers that value security, compliance, privacy and governance.”
— Ryan Peterson, GM Enterprise Maps at Microsoft
Currently, Microsoft has two enterprise mapping products, Bing Maps for Enterprise, and Azure Maps. Azure Maps is Microsoft’s next generation mapping and geospatial cloud services designed specifically for developers and enterprise customers to provide scalable location-based services for web and mobile solutions. Bing Maps for Enterprise is Microsoft’s long-time enterprise offering that has powered many of our enterprise customers mapping experiences. Microsoft is combining the best aspects of both platforms within our Azure Maps offering to provide customers an enhanced location-based services to bring maps and geospatial features into their backend, databases, Power BI, web, and mobile solutions.
Azure Maps empowers customers to bring geospatial understanding to their location data with a comprehensive set of easy-to-use APIs and multiplatform capable web SDKs. With Azure Maps, customers can add location context to their data and visualize it on a variety of customizable interactive maps, such as road, satellite, traffic, weather, and custom indoor maps. Leveraging Azure Maps can enable organizations to unlock and act on new location-based insights, potentially reducing operating costs, generating new revenue, and delivering better service to their customers. With this new offering customers will benefit from the best of both worlds: the scalability, security and compliance of Azure Maps, and the rich data and features of Bing Maps for Enterprise. Customers will be able to seamlessly migrate their existing Bing Maps applications and services to Azure Maps or create new ones with minimal effort and maximum flexibility. Whether they need geocoding, routing, rendering, geofencing, search, or spatial analytics, customers will find a solution that meets their needs and exceeds their expectations with Azure Maps.
Current Bing Maps for Enterprise customers can reach out to MapLicQ@Microsoft.com for information on migrating their current Bing Maps for Enterprise usage to Azure Maps
For more information on Azure Maps:
About Azure Maps
Azure Maps is the next generation geospatial cloud service offered by Microsoft Maps. It has been created specifically, with Microsoft Developers and Enterprise Customers in mind, to provide scalable location capabilities and relevant geographical data.
About Microsoft
Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT” @microsoft) enables digital transformation for the era of an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge. Its mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more.
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