Help & Support
What's new on the Site?
- New features
-
We've made quite a few changes to the Multimap site! Here are some of the key features we hope you find particularly interesting and useful:
Basic maps site: The 'Basic maps' site carries the appearance of the new 'interactive maps' site and also includes many new features previously only available on the 'interactive maps' site. The 'basic maps' site has static maps which are non-draggable and you will also be able to use it without having to enable JavaScript.
Birds Eye: Birds Eye or 'oblique' imagery, gives a unique perspective by taking images at a 45-degree angle and from four different directions. The imagery is captured by low-flying aircraft and is constantly being expanded and updated.
Find A Business: This service allows you to quickly find local businesses and services, get directions to them using our route planner and share what you find with friends and family.
Improved travel directions: We now offer you walking directions as well as driving directions; the ability to route between points of interest, as well as between addresses; and directions for even more countries. We also give separate maps for the start and end points as well as for your full journey.
Search the web: The 'Search the web' tab will take you away from the Multimap site and onto the 'Bing' homepage powered by Microsoft.
And much, much more!
We're very excited about all the new features and functions we've added to our award-winning Multimap site. We hope you agree that they make the site even more user-friendly and an even better tool to help you navigate your world.
- Why was I taken to the Bing Maps site?
If you are directed to Bing Maps when you try to visit the Multimap website, one of two things may have happened:
Either you clicked on the trial link on the Multimap site to try Bing Maps, or you were randomly selected to try Bing Maps.
You have the following choices:
Keep using Bing Maps: If you like what you see, do nothing to continue using Bing Maps.
Return to Multimap: Click the Switch back to using multimap.com link on the Bing Maps Welcome page.
Take our survey: Click the Take a survey link on the Bing Maps Welcome page.
Contacting Multimap
- I have a question about using multimap.com
This FAQ has been designed to answer the most common questions we receive from users.
If you can't find an answer to your question, please email multimap@microsoft.com
- I have a question about using Multimap business services
For more information on our range of business services, please click here.
Search Tips
- Can I view a map of a specific radius?
- It is not possible to specify the radius of a map on our public website.
- How do I save a bookmark?
- Saving a URL takes just three simple steps:
1. Search for the location you require, preferably by entering an address or location in the search box at the top of the page.
2. The location will then appear in your search history. Click on the location/address to highlight it. At the bottom of the search history, click on the button called "save to favourites."
3. A pop-up box will appear on the map. You can now create a new name for the location in the top section and add any other details you'd like to save about this location in the second box. For example, you could note the name of a restaurant in the top box and information on the date you visited and the restaurant's phone number below. When you've finished making your changes, click "confirm". That's it! - How do I move a bookmark?
If your bookmark isn't quite in the right geographic location, you can easily re-position the marker. There are three steps to moving the bookmark:
- In the "favourites" panel, click on the bookmark(s) that you'd like to move.
- Click on "edit" at the bottom of the "favourites" panel.
- The information box on the map will now show three buttons: "cancel," "move," and "confirm". Click on "move" then drag the marker to your preferred location.
- Once the marker is in the right spot, click "confirm".
You can move the marker as many times as you like to get it in the right position.
- How many bookmarks can I save?
- If you do not sign for MyMultimap, you can save three bookmarks. If you do sign up for MyMultimap, you can currently save up to 20 bookmarks. MyMultimap is a free service. Please go to http://www.multimap.com/my/signin for more information.
- How to search for a map
To find the map you require, select the relevant country from the drop-down list found at the top left hand corner of the homepage or map pages, under find a place. You can then insert your search query in the format displayed on the site: Address, City/Town or Postcode. If the country you require is not in the list, please select 'Rest of the World' in the country field and enter the city and country of interest in the field above the country field.
To search for locations in Great Britain, please insert your search query in the format displayed on the site: Address, Town or Postcode. For example, you can either search for a location map of Oxford Street, London or search for a map of W1C 1JE.
If you don't have the postcode, you can find it using the postcode finder on the Royal Mail website: http://www.royalmail.com.
- What do I do if a country is not listed?
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on 'world index' (under the 'quick links' section). The drop down list of countries will default to 'rest of world'. To search for a location map, type in your place name in the search field below 'find a map' and click on 'find'.
- How can I search using a grid reference?
- You may wish to know that users can now search for maps our new site using an OS grid reference e.g. TQ311816. Simply type in the grid reference in the search box located at the top left corner of our homepage and click on Find.
- How can I enlarge the map?
Slide your mouse cursor along the map edge on the left. About halfway down, you will notice a little curve with an arrow pointing leftwards. To enlarge the map, click on the arrow within the little curve.
Please note however that this feature is only available on the interactive site.
- Moving the red circle
- You can adjust the placement of the red circle by right-clicking on the map with your mouse at your chosen location, and selecting "Place red circle here" from the menu.
- What happened to the scale bars?
- When we designed our new site, we wanted to be able to deliver seamless maps of the world, that could be panned and zoomed easily, without necessarily making users step through different scales or layers. To do that, we reprojected the map data using a system known as Mercator. Mercator is a cylindrical projection, which means that parallels and meridians are straight and perpendicular to each other. Using this system, we could divide up the maps into 256x256-pixel tiles that always fit the circumference of the world, and that can allow you to pan all the way around the world.
One issue with Mercator, however, is that it distorts the map - the map is stretched east-west and north-south, and this stretching increases as the distance from the equator increases. The result is that scale varies from place to place.
Since scales no longer match up, we replaced scales with zoom levels. The zoom levels work in the following way: zoom level 1 aims to capture the extents of the world in one 256x256-pixel image. Zoom level 2 captures the whole world in 4 256x256-pixel tiles and zoom level 3 in 16 tiles, etc. We currently show 18 zoom levels, which we believe makes the jump between levels smoother. To see the zoom level for a map simply place the mouse icon below the zoom slider; the mouse-over text will indicate the zoom level. - Zooming/panning tips
We currently show 18 zoom levels, which we believe makes the jump between levels smoother. There are several ways to zoom in and out:
- Click on the + or the - sign on the "widget" to the right of the map, or move the slider up or down towards the + or -.
- Double-click on the map to zoom in; zoom out by double right-clicking (on a Mac, hit "ctrl" and double-click).
- Right click, and the zoom menu will appear; you can then select "zoom in to here," "zoom out to here," "move map to here," or "add to favourites." On a Mac, hold down the "ctrl" key and click to see the menu.
- And you can create a "bounding box": hold down the shift key, and using your mouse, draw a box around the area that you would like to zoom in to. When you release your mouse, you will zoom in.
To see the zoom level for a map, simply place the mouse icon above or below the zoom slider. The mouse-over text will show you which level is above or below the level you're viewing.
To pan around the map, simply "grab" the map with your mouse and drag it to the desired location.
Aerial & Satellite Photos
- Can I buy an aerial image?
Our aerial images are regrettably not for sale.
- Can I buy a satellite image?
Our satellite images are regrettably not for sale.
- Can I copy or download an aerial image?
- Due to copyright restrictions, it is illegal to copy or download any of the aerial or satellite images on our website.
- How old are the aerial photos?
Our aerial and satellite imagery come from some of Microsoft's suppliers and third parties. The majority of the photos have been taken since 2005, but we understand that the relevant suppliers are periodically loading new data.
- When will you have my area covered?
- As data becomes available it will be loaded onto our servers. It is quite possible that you may not be able to find the area you are looking for. We apologise for this and suggest you re-visit the site to find out if the data you want is available at a later date.
Bird's Eye
- What is Bird's Eye?
'Bird's Eye', or 'oblique' imagery gives a unique perspective by taking images at a 45-degree angle and from four different directions. The imagery is captured by low-flying aircraft and is constantly being expanded and updated.
- Where does the imagery come from and how old is it?
Imagery on www.multimap.com consists of both aerial and satellite imagery. The composite view contains data that was captured at various different times since it is not practical to collect an entire country in one shot. We are working with our aerial providers to create the most complete and current database with the best clarity. Since new releases of the imagery are ongoing, we will be updating imagery on a rolling basis. In some instances we have data that was collected in 2005 and in others we have more recent images from our providers. We are receiving new imagery all the time, so please keep checking our site.
- Can I copy, print or download Bird's Eye imagery?
Due to copyright restrictions, it is illegal to copy, print or download any of the 'Bird's Eye' imagery on our website.
Business Listings
- How can I search for a business?
- You can search for business locations by clicking on the 'find a business' tab at the top of our homepage.
- How can I add, amend or delete a UK business listing?
Our business listings in the UK are provided by Market Location. To add, amend or delete a listing, please use the following online feedback form: http://www.marketlocation.com/changereq/.
We receive Business Listings updates on a regular basis, so any changes will eventually filter through to the Multimap website.
- How can I add, amend or delete a US business listing?
- Our business listings in the US are provided by one of Microsoft's third party suppliers. To add or to delete a listing, log on to http://www.bing.com/maps and click on 'Feedback' at the bottom right of the page to submit your request. We receive Business Listings updates on a regular basis, so any changes will eventually filter through to the Multimap website.
- Do you have business listings for other countries?
At the moment, we have business listings for the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, France and Italy. We plan to extend the service to more countries soon. For new developments, please feel free to keep checking our site.
Business Services
- Business Services
- For more information on our range of business services, please click here.
Free Links and Maps
- A map on my site
There are two ways that you can display our maps on your site:
Free linking (from the interactive site):You are welcome to link to a map via the URL or web address. Another option would be to embed the map onto your site by copying and pasting the HTML code. For either of these options, click on the 'link' button directly above the map to the right. In order to place a map on your site (once you agree with the terms & conditions) click on the 'customise and preview' map link where you can customise the map to your exact needs. (i.e. zoom in and out, drag the map, move red circle via right click etc).
Embedded maps:
You can also embed a Multimap map on your own website. The service is limited to 50,000 transactions per year, and cannot be used for internal facing applications. If you expect to use more than this amount or wish to use Multimap maps for internal uses, please contact our sales team by sending an email to: sales@multimap.com or by calling .
- How can I add an embedded map?
You can embed a Multimap map on your own website by clicking the "link" button and choosing the embed option. The service gives you a snippet of code that you can simply cut and paste into your web page - no need to grapple with JavaScript and other technologies!
It shows a modern, draggable map of your location, using a level of detail and map style that you choose.
In addition to the map, the service includes additional functionality by linking to www.multimap.com - for example, your users can see your location in our unique Bird's Eye view to help them find your location more easily, and get detailed driving directions from the UK's best directions site.
The service is free, is easier to integrate than other companies' free APIs, and provides your site visitors with access to unique functionality including local map styles, Bird's Eye imagery and sending a map to mobile phone.
To take advantage of the new service, please visit www.multimap.com, search for your location and click on 'link' just above the map. Select the 'embed map' option.
Documentation for the new free Embedded Maps service found at:
http://www.multimap.com/share/documentation/products_and_modules/embedded_qs.htmSite that is using the Embedded Maps:
http://www.capitalhairandbeauty.co.uk/chb.storefront/499c34ef005f46da27420a022f0205b3/Product/View/HarrowThe service is limited to 50,000 transactions per year, and cannot be used for internal facing applications. If you expect to use more than this amount, or wish to use Multimap maps for internal uses, please contact our sales team on 020 7632 7800 or by sending an email to: sales@multimap.com.
- Linking to a map using a GB postcode
To link to a map using a GB postcode, please use the following URL:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|W1C1DX&zoom=16.Simply change the postcode value within the URL each time to produce a valid map. You also have the option to select your most preferred zoom level. The zoom levels available are from 1 to 18 (1 being the furthest away and 18 being the closest).
- Linking to a map using a grid reference
To link to a map using a grid reference, please use the following URL:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?hloc=GB|TQ287812&zoom=16.Simply change the value for the grid reference within the URL each time to produce a valid map. You also have the option to select your most preferred zoom level. The zoom levels available are from 1 to 18 (1 being the furthest away and 18 being the closest).
- Linking to a map using lat and lon coordinates
To link to a map using latitude and longitude coordinates, please use the following URL: http://www.multimap.com/maps/?lat=51.5154&lon=-0.1452&zoom=16.
Simply change the lat and lon coordinates value within the URL each time to produce a valid map. You also have the option to select your most preferred zoom level. The zoom levels available are from 1 to 18 (1 being the furthest away and 18 being the closest).
- What happened to your reciprocal linking service?
Please note that our reciprocal linking service is not currently available on the new site. It will return shortly. In the meantime, linking is still working on the original site.
- Why can't I copy and paste a map on the new Multimap site?
- Copying and pasting a Multimap map into a document is something that contravenes our map data suppliers' copyright terms. While we know that people do this, strictly speaking, copying the map isn't allowed by the companies that hold the copyright on the maps.
However, we've added some functionality to the print pages so you can now add your own notes before you print a map. And you can do that with the travel directions print pages as well. We hope that you find this useful. - Why don't you charge for the linking service?
- To cover the cost of providing this service, our banner advertising will appear on the free map page and our website will open in a new window.
- What happened to the scale bars?
- When we designed our new site, we wanted to be able to deliver seamless maps of the world, that could be panned and zoomed easily, without necessarily making users step through different scales or layers. To do that, we reprojected the map data using a system known as Mercator. Mercator is a cylindrical projection, which means that parallels and meridians are straight and perpendicular to each other. Using this system, we could divide up the maps into 256x256-pixel tiles that always fit the circumference of the world, and that can allow you to pan all the way around the world.
One issue with Mercator, however, is that it distorts the map - the map is stretched east-west and north-south, and this stretching increases as the distance from the equator increases. The result is that scale varies from place to place.
Since scales no longer match up, we replaced scales with zoom levels. The zoom levels work in the following way: zoom level 1 aims to capture the extents of the world in one 256x256-pixel image. Zoom level 2 captures the whole world in 4 256x256-pixel tiles and zoom level 3 in 16 tiles, etc. We currently show 18 zoom levels, which we believe makes the jump between levels smoother. To see the zoom level for a map simply place the mouse icon below the zoom slider; the mouse-over text will indicate the zoom level.
Historic Photos
- Francis Frith Company Information
- The Francis Frith Collection is a trademark licensed to Frith Content Provision Limited, by Heritage Photographic Resources Limited. Frith Content Provision Limited is registered in England, company number 3842886, and has registered offices at:
Frith's Barn
Teffont
Salisbury
Wiltshire
SP3 5QP
United Kingdom
For further information on the Francis Frith Collection please go to their help pages at:
Francis Frith Help Page. - What is the Francis Frith Collection ?
- The Frith archive was founded by Francis Frith, the pioneer Victorian photographer, in 1860 and today contains over 330,000 photographs of some 7,000 towns and villages throughout Britain. Taken between 1860 and 1970 these form a topographical record of Britain without equal. The Archive provides an amazingly detailed visual record of the enormous social and structural changes which have taken place in Britain since 1860. For each town or village there is an average of 80 photographs. These were often taken from the same spot many years apart, so providing the opportunity to illustrate changes in the intervening years. While some of the photographs are undoubtedly artistically outstanding, the real value of the archive lies in its scale. There is no other archive that can illustrate this period of British history so extensively or to such a high quality.
Hotel & Holiday Cottage Booking
- How do I book a hotel?
- Once you have displayed a map of your desired location, click on the "Hotel & Travel" tab at the top of the page. You will then be given the option to view and book hotels with the booking agent of your choice. The various hotel booking agents available will be displayed to the left of the map.
Please be aware that we don't offer an exhaustive list of hotels, so there may be a hotel that you know of that doesn't appear in the database. - Why can't I do a refined search for all the hotels directly from the Multimap site?
Please note that at the moment we are only able to provide a map-based refined search for Active Hotels on our site. We are working to add this capability for other partners, and hope to have it on the site shortly. For bookings with all our other partners, please click through to the partner's page; you will then be able to refine your search.
Maps of the UK
- A map on my site
There are two ways that you can display maps on your site:
Free Linking (from the interactive site):You are welcome to link to a map via the URL or web address. Please note that the map images always need to reside on our server due to copyright restrictions. Users are not permitted to download them or store them locally.
Embedded Maps:You can also embed a Multimap map on your own website by clicking the "link" button, and choosing the embed option. You will be provided with some HTML code that you can paste into your own website. The service is limited to 50,000 transactions per year, and cannot be used for internal facing applications.
If you expect to use more than this amount or wish to use Multimap maps any other way, please contact our sales team on 020 7632 7800 or by sending an email to sales@multimap.com.
- Can I buy a hard copy map or CD-ROM?
- We currently do not sell any hard copy, paper products or a CD-ROM of our service. All of our services are provided for use via the Internet only.
You can purchase A-Z maps on the Multimap site here.
Alternatively, you may find the following organisation useful: Stanfords - Can I download a map?
- Due to copyright restrictions imposed by our data suppliers, you are not permitted to download and save maps locally. However, you may print up to 10 copies of a single map for personal use only, or you can use our free linking service to display a map on your website.
- Can I print multiple copies of the maps or use a map within a publication?
- Please feel free to print up to 10 copies of a single map for personal use only. We regret to inform you however that the maps on our website cannot be copied or downloaded. This is because they are provided by external suppliers, and we are legally obliged to comply with their copyright laws.
- Do you have maps of counties or postcodes?
- We don't provide maps of county boundaries or postcodes.
You may find the following websites useful:
Stanfords
Counties Map
UK Postcode Map
London Postcode Map - Do you have old maps?
- We don't have old maps but you may find the following website useful: Old Maps.
- How can I convert to longitude and latitude?
- We offer a business geocoding service. If this is of interest, please email details of your requirement to: sales@multimap.com.
The datum we use is WGS84 (World Geodetic System 1984). Most GPS receivers use this datum as well. You can find more information at:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WGS84. - How do I email a map?
- To email a map, you will firstly need to find the map of your choice on the site. Then, click on the little envelope icon within the tool bar at the top of the map.
- How do I print a map?
We now offer you the ability to print a page showing an overview map, plus detailed views of an area; this detailed option also shows nearest transport links on the print-out. To print, please click on the little printer icon within the tool bar at the top of the map. Clicking on this button removes all the unnecessary graphics from the screen and just leaves the map image ready for printing. It also corrects all known printing issues that aren't hardware or browser orientated.
- Do you have motorway junctions on your maps?
- To view motorway junctions on the map, please switch your map view to OS maps. Whenever OS map data is available within a specific zoom level, you will see an 'OS map' tab at the top left corner of the map. Click on it to switch to OS map view.
- The labelling or placing of a road, building or river is incorrect on the map.
- The map data itself including the road names and placement of the roads, rivers, canals, lakes and buildings is supplied to us by several data providers who supply many organisations with this same information. If they have a feature incorrectly placed or labelled, they need to change this within their central database which is then included in various products sent to organisations like Multimap.
- The marker indicating my postcode location is wrong.
- The geographic co-ordinates for each UK postcode are created and maintained by various map data suppliers. If the marker for your postcode is in the wrong location, it may be due to one of the following reasons:
If you have entered a full postcode to produce a map and the marker is in slightly the wrong location, this is because the postcode alone is shared between several addresses and therefore may cover a whole street or set of streets.
If the marker is in the wrong place on the map, it is because the co-ordinates listed for your postcode have been wrongly estimated. We receive data updates regularly so please keep checking the site for improvements. - What do the symbols on the maps mean?
- We are currently working on including a key on our map pages. For new developments, please feel free to keep checking our site.
- Why is the map out of date?
- Our map data comes from different suppliers and when physical geography changes, it can take some time for this to be accurately reflected within the digital data sets supplied to Multimap.
Our digital data sets are updated regularly, so please keep visiting the site and hopefully any errors will be automatically corrected within the next few updates. - Do the maps show cycle paths?
- Ordnance Survey maps show national and regional cycle paths. These maps come from OS 1:50,000 raster maps.
- Why are the grid lines and text on the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps no longer straight
-
All maps on the new Multimap website use a projection called Mercator which enables us to define their real-world positions anywhere on the globe. The Ordnance Survey maps use a different projection known as the "National Grid" which is specific to Great Britain. The reprojection from National Grid to Mercator enables us to show Ordnance Survey maps as part of our global view. Therefore the resulting map is a representation of the National Grid in the Mercator projection. For more information please visit the ITC website below:
http://kartoweb.itc.nl/geometrics/Introduction/introduction.html
Maps of the World
- Can I print multiple copies of the maps or use a map within a publication?
- Please feel free to print up to 10 copies of a single map for personal use only. We regret to inform you however that the maps on our website cannot be copied or downloaded. This is because they are provided by external suppliers, and we are legally obliged to comply with their copyright laws.
As we do not currently offer the option to buy world maps in hard copy, paper or digital format, you are more than welcome to purchase maps from the following websites:
Stanfords
Collins Bartholomew - How can I link to world maps?
- To obtain the correct URL on our site, the easiest method is to select the country of your choice on the drop down menu on our search functionality. You can then enter the name of the place you want to link to. If it is listed in our database a map will appear. You are then free to copy the web address and paste it into a hyper-link in your own page.
- Why can't I find the map I require?
-
We have street level mapping for many countries but not yet for the whole world. Consequently you may not be able to find the exact scale of map you require.
We are constantly adding to our world map data so please keep visiting the site for updates. - Why is a place name incorrect?
- We receive quarterly updates from our World map suppliers and having accurate data on the site is very important to us. The inaccuracies that are reported to us generally fall into four categories;
1) Typo or reading errors - These are real spelling mistakes in the data. Letters which visually look similar are usually in this category. For example; "i" and "l", "b" and "h"
2) Transliteration - This is the process whereby an unsupported foreign character set or alphabet is converted to the simple Latin alphabet that we use on the site. There are different ways that our suppliers use to translate this information and the place names in question may have several different spellings, all of which are correct depending on the method of translation.
3) Old Names - There are name changes in the world every week and sometimes we do not get information on the change or we may be waiting for the change to filter through into future updates of the data.
4) Politically disputed names - In some parts of the world, the political situation is delicate and therefore some places have several different names.
Our map data comes from various suppliers and while we appreciate all feedback, we cannot overwrite the data immediately upon receiving your comments. Instead, we pass all comments on to our suppliers in order to have the information changed at source. This can be a lengthy process. - Why is the map out of date?
- Our map data comes from different suppliers and when physical geography changes, it can take some time for this to be accurately reflected within the digital data sets supplied to Multimap.
Our digital data sets are updated regularly, so please keep visiting the site and hopefully any errors will be automatically corrected within the next few updates. - Zooming/panning tips
-
We currently show 18 zoom levels, which we believe makes the jump between levels smoother. There are several ways to zoom in and out:
- Click on the + or the - sign on the "widget" to the right of the map, or move the slider up or down towards the + or -.
- Double-click on the map to zoom in; zoom out by double right-clicking (on a Mac, hit "ctrl" and double-click).
- Right click, and the zoom menu will appear; you can then select "zoom in to here," "zoom out to here," "move map to here," or "add to favourites." On a Mac, hold down the "ctrl" key and click to see the menu.
- And you can create a "bounding box": hold down the shift key, and using your mouse, draw a box around the area that you would like to zoom in to. When you release your mouse, you will zoom in.
To see the zoom level for a map, simply place the mouse icon above or below the zoom slider. The mouse-over text will show you which level is above or below the level you're viewing.
To pan around the map, simply "grab" the map with your mouse and drag it to the desired location.
Mobile Services
- Accessing MyMultimap for Vodafone Users
- Vodafone is currently unable to support mobile payment via its internet connections; it can only accept mobile payment via WAP. If you are a Vodafone user, you will need to use "Contract WAP" and not "Contract Internet" to be able to make mobile payments to pay for Multimap maps.
- Access your MyMultimap account from your mobile phone
- If you've signed up for MyMultimap, you can now access all of your favorites, preferences, and search history from your mobile phone. MyMultimap itself is a free service; it allows you to save up to 20 favourite locations; learn about new Multimap features; and gain access to special promotions.
- Once you've signed up for MyMultimap, you can use the same username and password to use MyMultimap Mobile. Not only can you search for locations, and zoom the maps in and out, just as you can on the Multimap site, MyMultimap mobile will also remember your favorites and recent search history. So, if you've found a location, printed a map, and then left it behind, you can now retrieve that map quickly and easily on your mobile phone.
- To use MyMultimap Mobile, sign up for MyMultimap, and include your phone number in the registration details. We will send you a text message with a unique URL link. When you click on that link, you will be registered to use the MyMultimap Mobile service. This registration will write a cookie to the your mobile phone. The cookie will contain your mobile phone number.
- Once you're logged in to MyMultimap mobile, you will see your own homepage, configured with your details from MyMultimap, including your search history and favorites. You can then view maps of favorites or from your search history, or do a new search, by placename or postal/ZIP code.
- You can also ask Multimap to find the location of your phone, rather than entering a search term. Please note, however, that the positioning technologies used by most mobile operators today are not as accurate as GPS technology; in the countryside, LBS could show a mobile phone as being as much as a kilometer from its actual position. Further, most mobile operators do not guarantee the availability of this positioning technology.
- The MyMultimap Mobile service is now free. You can zoom in and out, and view that map up to 10 times in a 24-hour period. You will always be asked to confirm that you accept the payment before you are billed.
- The map you receive will be optimized for viewing on a mobile screen; it may not be the exact map that you see on Multimap, but it will cover the same area. Also, we are not currently sending aerial images or hybrid views to mobile phones. Therefore, if you are looking at an aerial or satellite image, and you ask to send the page you are viewing to your mobile phone, we will send you a map of the area you are viewing, and not the aerial image.
- How can I register my mobile number?
To register a mobile number within your MyMultimap account, you will need to do so in the following format: +447xx xxx xxx.
- Map to mobile in other countries
-
This service currently works with mobile phones on the mobile networks in the following countries and respective country codes; we plan to extend the service to more countries soon.
- Austria (+43)
- Australia (+61)
- Belgium (+32)
- Canada (+1)
- China (+86)
- France (+33)
- Germany (+49)
- Ireland (+353)
- Italy (+39)
- Malaysia (+60)
- Netherlands (+31)
- Singapore (+65)
- Spain (+34)
- Thailand (+66)
- United Kingdom (+44)
- USA (+1) - MyMultimap Locator
The MyMultimap Locator service helps to get a map when you're out and about and on the move. Simply text "mymm" to 81025. We will attempt to position your phone, and if we're successful, we'll send you a link to retrieve a map of your area. If we can't locate your phone, we'll send a note asking you to text with us a placename or postcode. We'll then send a map of that area.
Alternatively, you can text "mymm [PLACENAME or POSTCODE]" to 81025, and we'll send you a map of the place or postcode that you entered.
Each time you request a new map using MyMultimap Locator, you will be charged 25p (mobile network charges may also apply). You can zoom in and out, and view that map up to 10 times in a 24-hour period.
- Send a map to your mobile phone with MyMultimap2Mobile
- You can send any map that you see on the Multimap site to your mobile phone. Simply find the map you require, click on the "mobile" link above the map, and enter your mobile number in the pop-up box. A few things to note:
- When you ask us to send a map to your mobile, you will be sent a link to the map. Each time you click on the link, mobile data charges may apply. You will not be charged until you click on the link.
- The map you receive will be optimized for viewing on a mobile screen; it may not be the exact map that you see on Multimap, but it will cover the same area.
- What mobile services does Multimap offer to consumers?
- Multimap offers several different ways of using our services on your mobile phone. You can:
- Send a map to your mobile phone from our map pages;
- Use MyMultimap Mobile, which allows you to access your MyMultimap account from your mobile phone; and
- Use our MyMultimap Locator service: Multimap can find your phone, and send you a map
MyMultimap
- What is MyMultimap?
- MyMultimap is a free service that allows you to save the maps and routes that you've searched for. Once you've registered for the service, just use the site as you normally would. However, you now have the ability to save the maps and routes you view the most.
- Problems signing into MyMultimap
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After you've registered by filling in the form at http://www.multimap.com/my/register/ you will be sent an email to the address you provided. This email will contain a link to confirm your request and activate your account. If you haven't opened this link you need to do so before trying to sign in. If you have problems by clicking on the link, try cutting the URL from the email and paste it into a browser window.
On http://www.multimap.com/my/signin/ any attempt to sign in should either be successful (which will take you back to the http://www.multimap.com/maps/ page), or unsuccessful (indicated by an error message in yellow).
If you still have problems with your login, please send us your username, the email address you registered with, the URL of the web page you are experiencing problems on and a description of the problem you are seeing, with as much detail as possible. - My username is already registered on MyMultimap
- If you see the message "Sorry, the username requested is already taken" while trying to register with MyMultimap, then you will need to try registering with a different username because someone else has the username you've asked for. If you registered for MyMultimap in the past using this username, you should try to reset your password for the services, rather than register again.
- Mobile number already in use
- If you see the message "Sorry, the mobile number requested is already taken" while trying to register with MyMultimap, then you will need inform Multimap Customer Support so we can remove the mobile number from our database.
- Problems when trying to confirm an account
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After registering for MyMultimap you would have been sent a link via email to confirm your request and activate your account. If you open this link and the page says that an error has occurred, please email us the link along with your username and we'll try to resolve the issue for you.
If you didn't receive the email to confirm your account, it's possible that you provided an invalid email address or our attempt to send the email failed. Either way, please contact us with your username and the email address you registered with and we will get your account enabled for you as soon as possible.
Open API
- What is the Multimap Open API?
- The Multimap Open API allows developers to use the same maps, aerial and Bird's Eye images from multimap.com in your own blogs and mash-ups. The spirit of the Open API is to encourage experimentation and innovation for the community of developers, whether you work for a company, or are doing your own thing.
- Who can sign up to this service?
The Open API is available for any non-commercial web site that is offered for free to users. To get started, sign-up for an API key.
For more information on Open API for commercial sites or any of our other business services, please click here.
- How can I sign up to the Multimap Open API?
- To sign up to the Multimap Open API, please click here.
- How do I enter my URL for the Multimap Open API?
- When creating a Multimap Open API account, please add a slash at the end of your URL e.g. http://www.multimap.com/
UK Postcode/Address Query
- Change of business or house name
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There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com and you can check postcodes and addresses on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com.
To amend your address or postcode details, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site. Please be aware however, that this process can take several months. - I am trying to find a new building/postcode
- The postcode data is supplied to us by Royal Mail who receive the geographic co-ordinates that place the circle on the map from Ordnance Survey (OS). When a new building, property or postcode is developed, the first set of co-ordinates is a "guesstimate" supplied by the UK's governing body for national statistics to OS. These co-ordinates will become more accurate once the OS has surveyed the area and recorded the exact positioning. The updated co-ordinates are then added to the OS central database and subsequently supplied to Royal Mail. We would therefore expect to receive the correct co-ordinates for your postcode in due course, but this process can be lengthy and we are unable to give you a precise timescale for this data to appear on our site.
- My postcode is not recognised.
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Please check your postcode on the Royal Mail site here. If the details are incorrect at Royal Mail please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives data updates from Royal Mail every three months.
If the postcode is correct on Royal Mail but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update. - My postcode is recognised on the Royal Mail website but not on Multimap.
- We receive our address data from the Royal Mail. Therefore, if the address is valid on the Royal Mail website but isn't recognised on Multimap, you can rest assured that it will filter through in future updates. Unfortunately, we're unable to provide clear timescales for this improvement to take place as it is dependent on our suppliers.
- PO Boxes
- When a Royal Mail customer has a PO Box, the mail is held at the sorting office. They don't get any mail deliveries, so the Ordnance Survey assigns their postcode the co-ordinates of the sorting office, not the customer's real-world location. Because our overlay map data is all based on postal delivery points, we don't know the physical location of the business if it's a PO Box. The location of the sorting office is all we have.
- The marker indicating my postcode location is wrong.
The geographic co-ordinates for each UK postcode are created and maintained by various map data suppliers. If the marker for your postcode is in the wrong location, it may be because the coordinates listed for your postcode have been wrongly estimated. We receive regular updates so any changes will eventually filter through to the Multimap website.
- The marker indicating my postcode location is slightly wrong.
- The postcode data is supplied to us by Royal Mail who receive the geographic co-ordinates that place the circle on the map from Ordnance Survey (OS). If you have entered a full postcode to produce a map and the marker is in slightly the wrong location, this is usually because the postcode alone is shared between several addresses and therefore may cover a whole street or set of streets. In such cases, the various map data suppliers will place the red circle roughly in the middle of (or somewhere close to) the geographic span of these addresses. You can check your postcode and address details on http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
- Why can't I find the address/place I am looking for?
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There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com so if you are having difficulty in finding an address or a postcode on our site, please check it on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
If you find that your address or postcode details are incorrectly listed, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site.
If the postcode is correct on the Royal Mail website, but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update. Therefore, if the correct address is with the Royal Mail on its website, you can rest assured that it will filter through to our site in due course. - Why can't I produce a map for a valid Isle of Man/Channel Islands postcode/address?
At the moment, the suppliers we use do not yet have street-level map data for the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. As soon as this data is made available to us, we will publish it on our site.
- Why can't I produce a map for a valid Northern Ireland postcode/address?
- We have street level map data for many parts of Northern Ireland, but not all. We will continue in our efforts to source this data and hope to offer it on the site in the future.
- Why is my address incorrect?
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There are 27 million addresses within the UK. The central database that holds this information is maintained by Royal Mail within their Postcode and Address Finder facility (PAF database). Royal Mail supplies this data to Multimap.com so if you are having difficulty in finding an address or a postcode on our site, please check it on the Royal Mail site here: http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm.
If you find that your address or postcode details are incorrectly listed, please contact the Royal Mail Postcode Division on 0845 603 9038 to get this data amended at its source. Multimap.com receives regular updates from Royal Mail, so any changes reported to them will eventually filter through to the site.
If the postcode is correct on the Royal Mail website, but not on Multimap, this could mean the postcode is new or has changed and we have not yet received the data update. Therefore, if the correct address is with the Royal Mail on its website, you can rest assured that it will filter through to our site in due course.
Travel Directions
- Do you have motorway junctions?
- We do not currently have motorway junction information incorporated in the directions service. We are constantly developing this facility and technology in this area is improving all the time, so this information may be available on the site in the future.
- Can Multimap tell me the carbon footprint of my journey?
Yes! We recently enhanced our travel directions service to offer users information about the carbon footprint of journeys, as well as the ability to offer those journeys.
The service is provided through a partnership with Carbon Clear, a leading carbon management company that helps businesses and consumers manage their greenhouse gas emissions (http://www.carbon-clear.com).
To use the carbon calculator, click the "get directions" link on the home page or a map page. Enter your journey's start and end points, click "find", and you'll be presented with step-by-step directions and route maps. At the top of the text directions on the left, you'll see a figure representing the carbon footprint of the journey. A pull-down menu allows you to choose the correct engine size of your car.
You can also compare the carbon footprint of the journey if you were to go by bus or coach instead of driving; just use the pull-down menu to select "bus" or "coach". And if you click on the "more info" link, you can find details of how the carbon footprint is calculated, and visit the Carbon Clear website to take action to offset your journey.
- How can I obtain more information about the carbon footprint feature?
The service is provided through a partnership with Carbon Clear, a leading carbon management company that helps businesses and consumers manage their greenhouse gas emissions (http://www.carbon-clear.com).
For more information about this service, please call 0845 838 7564 or send an email to enquiries@carbon-clear.com.
- How can I customise the route, i.e. - avoiding motorways or certain roads?
- There is a 'go via' option on the directions service that allows users to enter a place name or postcode and the system will incorporate this place in the route. You can also choose whether you wish to have the 'quickest' route or the 'shortest' route. However, you cannot specify the motorways or roads you wish to use for your journey. The directions service is constantly improving and in the future it may be possible to enter more specifications for your route than is currently the case.
- How do I get directions to an airport?
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We are currently looking to recognise places without official postal addresses, such as airports, in our database. In the meantime, as a short-term solution, you are more than welcome to use the following postcodes for these airports:
Aberdeen - AB21 7DU
Birmingham - B26 3QJ
Bristol - BS48 3DY
East Midlands - DE74 2SA
Edinburgh - EH12 9DN
Exeter - EX5 2BD
Glasgow - PA3 2ST
Leeds Bradford - LS19 7TU
Liverpool - L24 1YD
London City - E16 2PX
London Gatwick North Terminal - RH6 0PJ
London Gatwick South Terminal - RH6 0NN
London Heathrow Terminals 1, 2 and 3 - TW6 1EW
London Heathrow Terminal 4 - TW6 3GA
London Heathrow Terminal 5 - TW6 2GA
London Luton - LU2 9LR
London Stansted - CM24 1QW
Manchester - M90 1QX
Newcastle - NE13 8BZ
Southampton - SO18 2NL - How do I plot points along a route?
- The Travel Direction service on our website will only allow you to plot two via points. It is not currently possible to plot a multi-point route.
- How do I print a route?
To print, please click on the little printer icon within the tool bar at the top of the map. Clicking on this button removes all the unnecessary graphics from the screen and just leaves the map image ready for printing. It also corrects all known printing issues that aren't hardware or browser orientated.
- I use your service in the US. Is an imperial gallon the same as a US gallon?
- Imperial gallons are used in Great Britain. One imperial gallon = 4.54609188 liters. 1 US gallon is equivalent to 0.833 imperial gallon, or 3.785 liters. For more information on how the two came to be different, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gallon.
- Prefer metric measurements
- While we appreciate that some people would prefer to see the distance values in metric format, please note that this service is provided by external suppliers and the format is not something we would be able to change.
You are more than welcome however to use the following website:
http://www.theconvertersite.com.
When using this website to convert from miles to kilometres, please select Statute Miles in the Convert From field.
We hope that you will find the above information quite useful. - Search tips
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The most effective way to use the directions service is to enter just the postcodes, or the towns. To find out a postcode, visit Royal Mail.
If you enter a full address, separate the words with commas.
Points of interest include tourist-related locations, e.g., Stonehenge, Alton Towers. The "Via" option enables you to enter a placename or postcode, but not a particular road, e.g., the M25.
We hope that you find these travel directions helpful and easy to use. Please note, however, that the directions should be used as a guide only. The data used may not take into consideration road closures or conditions, turn restrictions, or optimal routing. No representation is made or warranty given as to the content or usability of the directions. Multimap.com and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or delay resulting from use of these directions.
To access our directions service, please click here or click on the Directions button at the top of any page. - What's the difference between a bus and a coach?
- A bus is a city bus (think red double-decker or accordion or MBTA in Boston) versus long-distance intercity (think National Express or Greyhound). City buses idle significantly more due to frequent passenger stops and traffic lights. They're burning fuel to stand still, so their miles per gallon numbers are lower. Intercity coaches run at highway speeds for an hour or two, even more without pause, so achieve higher fuel efficiency.
- When will you have travel directions for other countries?
- All the countries for which we can offer directions are displayed within the drop down list. We hope to provide travel directions to more countries?in the future; however, we cannot offer definite timescales at the moment.
- Why are the journey times unrealistic?
- The journey times are calculated using the speed limit on each road. The total time does not take into account things such as traffic flow or road works. Therefore, the journey times may be slightly optimistic. Please remember that it is intended as a guide only.
- Why can't I verify my address?
- Some addresses may not verify properly. Our technical team is working on this issue and we hope it will be resolved soon. In the meantime, as a short-term solution, you can try using the postcode of the destination. If you do not have the full postcode, you may find the Royal Mail site useful here.
- Why does the route not direct me using motorways?
- As the directions are generated by a computer algorithm, on occasion motorways are omitted from the instructions offered. Motorways should be classed as priority roads, but currently the system does not always recognise them as such. We are due an update from our suppliers that will re-classify the road types and correct this issue shortly.
- Why is my start/end address or postcode not recognised?
- The most accurate way to get directions is to use a postcode to postcode search, as the postcodes indicate exact start and end points. If the way in which the address is entered differs even slightly from the way in which we have that address stored in our database, the system will not recognise it, but it should provide you with a choice of options. If the address is still not recognised, you may find the Royal Mail site useful here.
- Why is the route inaccurate?
- The instructions given by the directions facility should be fairly accurate; however, the system is by no means infallible. We have software that uses computer algorithms to generate the directions, and while the results are generally correct, it is likely that they will never be as effective as human planning and judgement. This is why we state on the site that the directions service is only intended as a guide.
As with our map data, we source the information used in our directions service from third parties. Any feedback you provide will be passed to our data providers, and should ultimately find its way into the directions service. However, we cannot make suggested changes immediately.
contact
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