Ordnance Survey in talks with mapping firm

ORDNANCE SURVEY Ireland (OSI) is in negotiations with GPS technology company Navteq about supplying mapping data, more than seven years after an offer by Navteq to purchase OSI digital map data information failed to materialise.

“We are currently in negotiations with Navteq in offering them up-to-date information for their mapping systems,” said OSI chief executive Geraldine Ruane. Navteq declined to confirm if negotiations are taking place. A spokesperson said the company “does not disclose the nature or existence of discussions with third parties”.

Chicago-based company Navteq, which has digitally mapped almost 80 countries around the world, originally approached OSI about purchasing the rights to use their mapping data when it decided to embark on producing the first digitalised map of Ireland.

After negotiations between Navteq and the semi-state body, the deal fell through. “Navteq, at the time, said that they weren’t prepared to pay the price and they decided to do it themselves,” said Ruane.

Navteq subsequently sent its team of mappers around Ireland’s 100,000km of road. Because of the unique nature of Ireland’s mapping system – the absence of postcodes outside Dublin, for example – the task of digitally mapping the country took almost three years. Navteq currently supplies its digital maps of Ireland to sat-nav manufacturer Garmin.

When the original deal fell through, some commentators criticised the OSI for being too protective of its data, arguing that the OSI failed to make a return on what is, in effect, information belonging to the taxpayer. The OSI has a commercial remit since 2001 when the organisation became a semi-state body.

Currently Navteq relies mainly on customer feedback to detect changes in routes, as well as sending its own representatives. A deal with OSI could speed up the process of upgrading digital maps.

According to Gary Delaney of GPS Ireland, digital mapping needs to have national support.

“The National Roads Authority has a major role to play in keeping digital map makers up to date with what’s happening,” he said.