Tele Atlas, NV, founded in 1984, headquartered in the Netherlands, is the provider of digital geographic maps used on the Internet, for route planning, personal navigation, land use planning, traffic, transportation, utility and facility management. With more than 33 patents, the firm's map database spans over 200 countries and territories across the globe, which includes millions of kilometers of roadways, and more than 29 million points of interests (POIs) including schools, malls, museums, amusement parks and more. Information is gathered using a fleet of advanced survey vehicles and 'Mobile Mapping' vans equipped with patented technology to deliver unprecedented accuracy with a speed that is five times faster than typical methods. Tele Atlas' 'Mobile Mapping' technology integrates a multidimensional 360 degree view with landmarks, streetscapes and real world snapshots that breathes life into Tele Atlas' maps. In 2000 Tele Atlas acquired ETAK, a recognized pioneer in the mapping industry, and Graphic Data Technology (GDT) in 2004, the leading provider of maps for both enterprise and consumer applications in North America. The firm is publicly traded on the Prime Standard Index of the Frankfurt stock exchange. In 2007, Tele Atlas opened APAC headquarters in Singapore and employs more than 2,500 with offices in 24 countries on four continents. The firm has formed strategic alliances with Pioneer, Cingular Wireless, Denso, Google, Mapquest, TomTom, Mio, Sprint/Nextel, and Verizon Wireless.