Comments on: Google Maps upgrade to TeleAtlas: “Data may not be optimal”

By: Marie

Marie — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:53:49 +0000

I don’t think that they should have switched over to the TeleAtlas system. There has been so many issues with it, that I don’t see how it could have been a wise idea.

By: Google Replaces Tele Atlas Data in US with Google StreetView Data | Understanding Google Maps & Local Search

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:45:41 +0000

[...] is interesting to speculate on the move. Certainly, Tele Atlas’s data quality in the US has not been very high. Complaints in the forums, which started immediately upon Google [...]

By: TomTom rolls out new mapping product, announces 5 millionth user edit » Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search

Mon, 22 Dec 2008 13:01:43 +0000

[...] data set was not as comprehensive as NavTeq’s, leading to (hopefully) short term accuracy problems, they seemed to be positioned to take advantage of the synergy of their relationship with TomTom to [...]

By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps + TeleAtlas + TomTom = Powerful map update strategy | Developing Knowledge about Local Search

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:51:12 +0000

[...] ads and a safe mapping environment. The change to TeleAtlas in September appeared to many to be a step backwards in map quality, partiuclarly in the U.S. But the nexus of Google Maps, TeletAtlas and Tom-Tom, [...]

By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » How long does it take to fix an map data error? | Developing Knowledge about Local Search

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:12:02 +0000

[...] switched to using TeleAtlas in a mid September timeframe. The reports of serious underlying map data problems have poured into Google Groups since that time. Miriam [...]

By: Understanding Google Maps & Yahoo Local Search » Google Maps Printed Driving Instructions Upgrade | Developing Knowledge about Local Search

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:41 +0000

[...] September has been a tough month for Maps with the upgrade, the switch to TeleAtlas and the hijackings, it is these kinds of continual improvements that will ultimately allow them to [...]

By: MiriamEllis

MiriamEllis — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 20:50:33 +0000

Hey Mike,
Yes, just think of the problems this may present for small business owners (well, big ones, too, for that matter).

- Customers who don’t call in being sent to the wrong place
- Customers who do call in having to listen to a rigmarole about “please don’t look us up on Mapquest, Google or Yahoo. Please look at our website.”
- People new in town or on vacation getting totally lost
- People who can’t find a business determining that it has gone out of business

It all boils down to frustration for the customer and loss of business for the owner.

Now, we never did depend on YP for giving us directions to businesses. If we needed to know where something was, we phoned up a shop and asked for directions. But the major mappers have changed that, and people are supposed to be able to depend upon the Internet to get them where they want to go…and oh, hey…what about those GPS devices? Who does their mapping?

A small frustration like not being able to find a hair salon is one thing. But what if you were trying to find a hospital in the middle of the night and Navteq or Teleatlas sent you to the wrong place? Not good, and I agree that 6 months is going to be an awfully long time if it takes that long.

Google needs to set up a much more instant response to the error reporting that is starting to flow in as a result of the switch to Teleatlas.

I really appreciate your coverage of this, Mike. It’s quite a problem.
Miriam