MapForums

Ironically, I was sent 2 applications using Microsoft mapping today both of which are illustrating coverage maps for the range of their networks.

1 - Cincinnati Bell is using MapPoint Web Service to highlight their wireless coverage on a map.The site highlitghts signal strength with color coding of areas; and, highlights partner companies that pick up the service when CinnBell doesn't have coverage. The app supports full geocoding, zooming, panning and a reset button to get back to square one.

2 - National Public Radio is using Virtual Earth to highlight their radio stations and the network reach on the map. You can search by postal code, city/state, and call letters. Plus, you can even using a route planning function to show all of the stations and their coverages areas along a route. This is slick. Say I'm driving from Seattle to San Diego and I want to see what stations will be accessible and when. You can see the towers along the route drawn on Virtual Earth and as you hover over each of them you can see their respective coverage area. You can also geocode your house and place a marker on the map - kind of random, but whatever. It would be nice if when I moved the map the towers would repopulate on the map. Sweet either way.