Microsoft Bing Maps now source traffic information from Nokia Maps

Microsoft has revealed that their Bing Maps now source traffic information from Nokia Maps.

This enables them to get traffic data from more cities around the world as Nokia has access to tons more devices powered by their Symbian platform.

Traffic data is generally sourced from the users of their smartphones who are traveling on the roads with GPS enabled.

Microsoft said:

Those are the basics…so what’s changed? Thanks to the hard work of our partners at Bing and Nokia, we’re now able to offer expanded traffic coverage to even more highways and secondary streets, giving you more info to help you plan your journey. Try it for yourself! In my Seattle neighborhood, I can now get traffic conditions almost straight to my doorstep.

The company added that they are working on enabling support for traffic in tons of more cities in more countries around the world:

But that’s not all. Soon we’ll be introducing traffic data for selected cities in Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. If you live in any of these countries and the Windows Phone Maps app doesn’t currently show a traffic option, expect to see it become available sometime in the next few weeks.