Microsoft launches Azure Location Based Services

Microsoft launches Azure Location Based Services
New geographical capabilities enable solutions in areas such as asset tracking and fleet management

Elly Yates-Roberts |


Microsoft has launched Azure Location Based Services to enable enterprise customers to use location data for solutions like asset location tracking, fleet management and traffic congestion.

These services are integrated directly into Azure, meaning customers can add location services to their existing Azure cloud solutions and developers can use geographical data in their solutions.

“As IoT continues to transform businesses by providing breakthrough insights and capabilities for connected assets, location is becoming an important aspect to consider,” said Sam George, director, Microsoft Azure IoT. “For instance, a department of transportation can now use Azure Location Based Services to analyse and improve traffic in congested cities, freight companies can provide improved fleet management and logistics, and all businesses can track the location of assets and be notified when their location changes.”

TomTom will supply location data on Azure Location Based Services, providing Microsoft with advanced location and mapping capabilities. These services include a set of APIs that provide mapping, search, routing, traffic and time zones.

“We chose to partner with Microsoft because it has expertise in scaling globally with enterprise customers and shares a joint vision with TomTom to make location a fundamental aspect of the cloud,” said Anders Truelsen, managing director of BU Licensing at TomTom. “Mapmaking is in TomTom’s DNA. By building on top of Microsoft’s cloud, we believe this will make our data more accessible than ever and will empower developers to use our APIs to light up mapping scenarios for both consumer and commercial customers.”

U.S. IoT solutions company Fathym is using the services to allow cities and government agencies to visualise road weather conditions on maps and offer users alternative routes when necessary.

Esri, an enterprise mapping and geographic information system technology firm, also intends to join Azure Location Based Services to provide business customers with a complete set of location data management, digital mapping and geographic analytics.

“We are excited to partner with Microsoft on its Azure Location Based Services,” said Christopher Cappelli, vice president of Global Business Development and Sales at Esri. “Microsoft and Esri have been strategic partners with one another for more than 20 years and have joint customers all over the world. Our joint customers have already benefitted from incorporating their existing Esri ArcGIS systems using our GeoEvent Server with Microsoft’s Azure cloud and Azure IoT solutions. Others interested in incorporating location services into their apps and systems can also immediately take advantage of our complete array of capabilities for mapping and analytics.”

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