Helping to create better citizen and customer connections, ESRI has entered into an agreement with Microsoft (News - Alert) to provide customers with access to mapping and imagery content from the Microsoft Virtual Earth platform inside ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Server. ArcGIS users can now easily add base maps, which feature rich aerial and hybrid views with Virtual Earth seamlessly integrated into ArcGIS 9.3 Desktop.

 

ArcGIS Desktop and ArcGIS Explorer users will have nearly instant access to some of the world’s finest base map layers with the new ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services. They are now able to perform data creation, editing, analysis, authoring and map publishing with one-click access. This partnership allows the subscribers of ESRI (News - Alert) to have street maps; vertical imagery and hybrid maps will be available on an affordable, annual subscription fee basis.

 

The ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services available for more than 60 countries and regions including North America, Europe, South America, the Asia Pacific region and Northern Africa. Although Aerial and satellite imagery includes worldwide coverage, they vary by region nonetheless. To make information more discoverable, more visual, and better to take action upon, ESRI integrates with other Microsoft products that may be part of a user’s Virtual Earth solution to incorporate internal and third-party data.

 

ArcGIS desktop users, including ArcGIS Explorer users, can leverage ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth map services in number of ways such as land planning, site selection, crime analysis, road network analysis and delivery network management. With the help of a service pack, ArcGIS Server users will be able to connect to ArcGIS Online Virtual Earth Map Services at a later date.

 

“Microsoft and ESRI have a long-standing history of delivering complete geographic information systems solutions,” said Erik Jorgenson, corporate vice president at Microsoft Corp. “The integration of Virtual Earth and ArcGIS 9.3 at both desktop application and platform levels enables customers to better view, analyze, understand, interpret and visualize geographic data. This new offering further extends the software-plus-services choices available to our mutual customers.”