31 May 2007

• The world's most useful mapping services from desktop to mobile

• New features and functions available on www.multimap.com make the site even more user-friendly, and a superior tool to help people navigate their world

Multimap, Europe's number one online mapping and location-based services provider, today launched a world-leading new version of its multiple-award-winning site, www.multimap.com. Beta testers love the new features and the site is destined to become the favourite lifestyle manager for everyday needs. The new site launch comes at a time when, according to a recent Forrester Research survey, over 45% of people in the UK are using the internet to access maps and travel directions. As the internet community grows rapidly (over 86% of people are regularly using emails) users are expecting more from web-based services.

Exciting new features at www.multimap.com include:

'Hybrid' draggable maps, improved imagery, and best-of-breed overlays

• Users can now "grab" the map and "drag" it to get a more complete view of the area they're looking at. Multimap has also enhanced its satellite and aerial imagery coverage: satellite and aerial views of the entire world are now available. And the new site offers Multimap's unique "hybrid" map overlaid on satellite and aerial images - a service that Multimap pioneered in 2001.

A choice of map type, including Ordnance Survey maps

• Multimap is the only site that offers users the ability to change the type of map you view at the click of a button! Prefer the look of Ordnance Survey Landranger maps? Or Collins maps of London? Just hover your mouse over the "map" button in the top left corner of the map, click on the small map that appears, and the map changes!

Daily essentials for every journey - whatever the distance

• More local information: the "useful information" panel enables you to view points of interest - such as cashpoints, petrol stations, hospitals, and Wi-Fi hotspots - on our maps. Click on the individual markers to see more detail about each point of interest

Local eBay vendor search

• Find your nearest desired item on sale exclusively with Multimap! You can now search for items from eBay vendors near you, or in a specific area. This facility is particularly useful if you're searching for large items, such as a car, and don't want to trek across the country to get it.

Personalised journey planning

• Add your own favourites! It's no longer necessary to be signed up for MyMultimap to save up to three favourite routes or maps. (But if you do sign up, you can save up to 20 favourites, and see them on your mobile - see below.)

New mobile services and integration between web and mobile

• Thanks to tight integration between web and mobile, the days of printing a map and promptly leaving it on a printer are long gone. Not only can you still push a map to your mobile phone - you can now use MyMultimap Mobile to see your favourites and search history. You can also find new maps while on the move. Just register for MyMultimap, include your mobile number in the registration information, and you're on your way!

Sophisticated printable itinerary

• New print options: 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 your print-out.

Improved hotel search

• More comprehensive hotel searching: you can now see hotels from our partners -Active Hotels, ASE, Wotif, and Marriot - overlaid on the map you're viewing. Just click on the individual markers to see more details of each hotel. You can also search for hotels that have availability on particular dates by clicking on "refine selection".

Commenting on the new site, Sean Phelan, founder of Multimap, said, "The feedback we've received to date from users who have previewed the site has been extremely positive. The draggable maps, new satellite imagery, and of course our map overlay feature seem to be particularly popular. The additional local information, and the ability to buy from eBay have been singled out by a number of users as great additions to our services.

"Now that the market is ready to embrace the opportunities associated with mobile technology, getting lost will become a thing of the past, thanks to Multimap. Just as we can't quite imagine what it was like to be in the Blitz when our grandparents talk about it, our grandchildren won't be able grasp the concept of being lost. They won't be able to comprehend what life must have been like in the old days when people couldn't access maps and location information from their mobile devices," he continued. "We're very excited about our new mobile services, and about the new site launch overall. And there will be more to come very soon!"

About Multimap

Multimap is one of the world's leading providers of mapping and location-based services. The company delivers more online maps, point-to-point driving directions and geo-spatial ("where's my nearest?") searches to more companies than any other supplier in Europe. All services are offered on mobile, PDA, kiosk, and interactive TV platforms. We also offer a highly-functional API (Application Programming Interface).

The public website, www.multimap.com, provides a range of free, useful services to assist with everyday life. Key features include street-level maps of Europe, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and countries in Asia; road maps of the world; door-to-door travel directions; aerial photographs; links to location information; and services such as hotel, restaurant and entertainment booking. The public site attracts over 10 million unique users, registers more than 190 million page impressions every month, and is one of the top 10 most visited websites in the UK.

Multimap recently featured in The Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fast Track 100 league table of fastest-growing unquoted UK companies across all sectors. In 2006, Queen Elizabeth II awarded Multimap The Queen's Award for Enterprise in the innovation category, and Multimap was one of only three companies to feature in the Sunday Times Microsoft Tech Track 100 league of fastest-growing unquoted UK technology companies for the fourth year running. In 2007, Multimap won the Best Use of Technology category of the Fast Growth Business Awards and, in 2006, the company feature in the Deloitte Technology Fast 50 for the UK and Ireland, and the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 for EMEA. Multimap also featured in Deloitte Touche's Technology Fast 50 league for London and Southern England in 2005 and, in the same year, Red Herring named Multimap as one of the Top 100 private companies in Europe.