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MapQuest Opens Up In the Netherlands and Switzerland


WEBWIRE

Continues to Drive Engagement with OpenStreetMap in Countries around the World

Denver, Colo., – MapQuest, a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL), today announced the launch of two new mapping sites built on open technology and OpenStreetMap (OSM) data. The sites, in the Netherlands and Switzerland, will utilize the new MapQuest brand and interface continuing its rollout of country specific open sites.

The Netherlands and Switzerland sites, located respectively at open.mapquest.nl and open.mapquest.ch, will each have all of the features introduced by MapQuest since July, including:

* Language selection
* Map tiles updated every 15 minutes
* Search updated every 5 minutes
* Driving directions updated daily
* Map Toolbar for easy searching on the map
* Send to Facebook, email or embed in website
* More sharing and send to options
* Draggable routes
* Right-click on map to identify nearest location

Much of the technology used to create and power these sites is freely available and can be found on the MapQuest Developer Network at http://developer.mapquest.com.

“In July, MapQuest saw a great opportunity to improve the OSM data and felt the only way to approach this was to become part of the OSM community,” said Antony Pegg, Product Manager, MapQuest. “We believe we are closing the gap between our consumer websites and our developer contributions, with the ultimate goal of bringing new members into the community. We will be continuing this effort throughout 2011 as we seek to lower the barrier to entry, and encourage the growth, accuracy, and ownership of the map.”

To date, MapQuest has launched mapping sites built on OSM data in 10 countries and two continents. In Asia, the India site launched in October 2010, and in Europe, sites have been launched for the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Belgium, Netherlands and Switzerland.

In July, MapQuest announced a $1M fund to support its effort to grow the OSM community in the U.S. To date MapQuest has made investments in tools and infrastructure to scale community contribution.

To get involved in the OSM movement, visit http://www.openstreetmap.org/ or send an email to osm@mapquest.com.

About MapQuest
MapQuest provides Internet, mobile and business solutions delivering on the promise of helping people research and discover: where is it, how I get there and what’s nearby. MapQuest is one of the leading mapping brands online, offering maps and directions, reaching more than 47.0 million users in October 2010, according to comScore Media Metrix. MapQuest’s mobile solutions are compatible with a variety of mobile devices, including iPhone and BlackBerry devices. MapQuest, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of AOL Inc, is based in Denver, Colorado.



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