Free access to LBS during development

Etienne Louw, MD of mapIT and Armin Fendrich, vice president sales – EMEA, of deCarta

The LBS architecture has been responsible for the proliferation of some of the world's most well-known map offerings currently available. It is highly integral platform allows for development on - among others - J2ME, Android, iOS and desktop/mobile Javascript.

"Our agreement with deCarta, complemented by our partnership with shareholder TomTom Africa, effectively sees us entering a new era in the provision of an international value offering to the Southern African marketplace," says Etienne Louw, MD of mapIT. "And together with deCarta it greatly enhances our digital mapping services to customers. The company is now a one-stop-shop for clients looking to develop their own customised LBS."

Self-hosting applications available

"deCarta is pleased to power this integrated LBS solution for clients and system integration partners," says Armin Fendrich, vice president sales - EMEA, of deCarta. "With this exclusive package, also including features such as aggregated traffic and hyperlocal media, businesses no longer have to worry about developing LBS oriented solutions and then integrating the mapping functionality afterwards, it's all done up front."

mapIT can provide hosting services for its production applications and resell deCarta's Drill Down Server (DDS) products. This is a geospatial software platform for building location-enabled applications. Under this arrangement, mapIT customers can now self-host their LBS behind their firewalls to build more sophisticated applications, while maintaining complete control of their user experience.

The LBS platform is designed to meet the needs of a wide range of industry segments participating in LBS ecosystem and value chain:

• Mobile Network Operators (including Service Delivery Platform providers (SDPs), and Network Equipment Providers (NEPs)
  
• Mobile Device Manufacturers (OEMs) including mobile handset, tablet, and navigation manufacturer.
  
• Local media companies and advertising networks including traditional internet yellow pages companies as well as new internet service companies providing local reviews, reservations, and shopping services
  
• Application developers and content publishers including developers of navigation applications, mapping and local services applications, and a variety of other applications which may be monetised as paid apps, ad-sponsored, freemium, etc
  
• Ultimately, end-users who want local search, navigation and location-based services applications

"A myriad of APIs"

"The LBS platform features a myriad of APIs, web services and cross platform solutions for JavaScript, Android, IOS and more that make it easy for companies to develop a customised solution that bolsters loyalty and value added services," explains Louw. "It is the perfect white labelling platform, which, in partnership with mapIT as an anonymous enabler, will allow companies to take their brand to the next level in social and mobile technology usage."

Access to the LBS platform reportedly provides local SMMEs the technology with which to develop their own, customised LBS without having to spend unnecessary funds on a solution that does not offer the functionality required.

"It is very important to us that we support SMMEs, which often have amazing, innovative ideas but do not necessarily have access to the development platform to realise it," he concludes.