Do you use Bing Maps with ArcGIS?  If you do, I am writing to make sure you have seen the announcement  from ESRI (below).  Complimentary use of Bing in ArcGIS will be phased out by 12/31/13.  The National Map services provides a nice alternative to Bing. 

The USGSTopo cache and orthophotography base from The National Map may provide viable, public domain alternatives to Bing.  User feedback on the services, in terms of content, responsiveness, and cartography are of course welcome.  Keep in mind the cache will be regenerated several times each year, so there will frequent opportunities for improvement to better meet user needs. 

To simplify loading the services into ArcMap the attached layer file (.lyr) was developed.  It currently includes only the USGSTopo (contour map) and the orthophoto service, but may in the future be expanded to include others (hence the date).  The principal differences between the USTopo and the USGSTopo in the service are 1) a hillshade, 2) more labeled features, and 3) more frequent updates (approximately every 90 days).  

To use the layer file, download it from this email, open ArcMap (requires 10.1), and use the Add Data function to add the layer.  You should get a familiar rendering of the contiguous 48 states (AK and HI are there).  Rendering can be slowed down by ArcMap resampling from Internet standard zoom levels (as used in Google and Bing) to "even" scales - 1:24K, 1:18K, etc.  To address this, go to the ratio scale pull down In the ArcMap toolbar.  At the bottom it will say "Customize This List."  Select that, then hit the "Load" button to the right of the popup, and select the option "ArcGIS Online/Bing Maps/Google."  Also check the box "Only display these scales when zooming."  Users can still specify a scale in the ratio box if necessary.

 Let me know if you are interested in learning more about TNM.

Dan

Esri - Understanding Our World
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Bing Maps Use in ArcGIS Has Changed

Complimentary Use of Microsoft's Bing Maps with ArcGIS to be Phased Out by December 31, 2013.
ArcGIS will continue to be usable with Bing Maps, but you will have to obtain your own Bing Maps key directly from Microsoft and then input the key into ArcGIS products. We recommend that you start the process of obtaining a Bing Maps key right away if you wish to continue using Bing Maps after December 31.

Try the ArcGIS Online World Imagery Map Service
This complimentary World Imagery Map is updated frequently and provides 1-meter scale or better satellite imagery for many parts of the world. We’ve added thousands of square kilometers of recent and detailed aerial imagery from DigitalGlobe. This includes 30 cm imagery for the continental United States down to 1:1,000 scale, 60 cm imagery for large parts of Western Europe down to 1:2,000 scale, and 1 m imagery in many other parts of the world. Over the coming months, we will add more DigitalGlobe imagery, giving you even more detailed coverage for many other parts of the world.

Discover Other Free ArcGIS Online Basemaps
In addition to the World Imagery Map, ArcGIS Online gives you access to a number of different basemaps that you can use in your projects. The World Street Map, World Topographic Map, Light Gray Canvas Map, andNational Geographic World Map provide a range of cartographic options to meet your needs.

How This Change Will Affect Use of Bing Maps with ArcGIS
Once you obtain a key from Microsoft, you will be able to use Bing Maps in your web and mobile applications, including ArcGIS for Server, ArcGIS Web APIs, and all ArcGIS Mobile SDKs.

ArcGIS for Desktop will be affected in different ways depending on the version you have:

  • ArcGIS 10.2 for Desktop will have the capability to add a Bing Maps key. ArcGIS 10.2 is currently scheduled to be available in late Q2 2013.
  • ArcGIS 10.0 and 10.1 for Desktop users will have to install a patch to use their Bing Maps key. The patch will be available in late Q2 2013.
  • ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 will no longer support the use of Bing Maps.

Bing Maps is no longer available through the basemap gallery for ArcGIS for Desktop users. However, Bing Maps will continue to work in map documents that already contain a Bing Maps layer.

With the March release of ArcGIS Online, Bing Maps is no longer available through the basemap gallery. However, customers who have an ArcGIS Online subscription will be able to input a Bing Maps key and continue to add Bing Maps to their web maps. Customers who have an ArcGIS Online public account are no longer able to add a Bing Maps layer to a web map. For both subscribers and public account users, web maps that already include Bing Maps will continue to function.

If you have any questions, please contact your local Esri office.

The ArcGIS Online Team

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Dan Walters
Geospatial Liaison for ME, MA & RI
USGS NSDI Partnership Office
196 Whitten Road
Augusta, Maine 04330
207-776-1293
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