DigitalGlobe Adds Tencent, China's Largest Internet Services Portal, as New Imagery Customer

DigitalGlobe, a leading global provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, today announced that Tencent, one of the world's largest online communities and Internet services portals, has signed a multi-year agreement for the use of DigitalGlobe high-resolution imagery. Under the terms of the agreement, DigitalGlobe will provide Tencent with images of 350 major Chinese cities via DigitalGlobe's exclusive distributor in China, China Siwei.
Tencent offers its more than 700 million online customers a range of services, including online gaming, social networking and instant messaging. DigitalGlobe's imagery will first be integrated into Tencent's online mapping service, enabling Tencent to provide a superior end-user experience, increase its subscription base, and expand the location-based features it can offer its customers.
"Tencent is excited to incorporate DigitalGlobe's industry-leading content into one of our most promising applications, the mapping service," said Wang Jianyu, head of Tencent's mapping service. "The launch of this service represents an important step in achieving our strategic goal of providing users with 'one-stop online lifestyle services.' High-resolution satellite imagery is now a basic requirement for any online mapping portal, because it enables a very intuitive user experience."
Moving forward, Tencent will have the ability to integrate the imagery across the full range of their social media and entertainment services, including their QQ instant messaging service, which is today one of the most widely used social media applications in China.
"DigitalGlobe is honored to be Tencent's key provider of high-resolution satellite imagery," said Takayuki Odawara, vice president of Asia Pacific commercial operations at DigitalGlobe. "With the addition of Tencent, one of the world's most influential and rapidly growing technology companies, DigitalGlobe now has relationships with the three largest internet companies in China. This will give us exposure to over half of the Chinese population."


DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and services. Sourced from our own advanced satellite constellation, our imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses within defense and intelligence, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals and navigation technology. With our collection sources and comprehensive ImageLibrary (containing more than two billion square kilometers of earth imagery and imagery products) we offer a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable customers to easily access and integrate our imagery into their business operations and applications. For more information, visit www.digitalglobe.com.


Founded in November, 1998, Tencent has grown into one of China's largest and most used Internet services portals. Since its establishment over the last decade, Tencent has maintained steady growth under its user-oriented operating strategies. On June 16, 2004, Tencent Holdings Limited (SEHK 700) went public on the main board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It is Tencent's mission to enhance the quality of human life through Internet services. Presently, Tencent is providing value-added Internet, mobile and telecom services and online advertising under the strategic goal of providing users with "one-stop online lifestyle services." Tencent's leading Internet platforms in China -- QQ (QQ Instant Messenger), QQ.com, QQ Games, Qzone, 3g.QQ.com, SoSo, PaiPai and Tenpay -- have brought together China's largest Internet community, to meet the various needs of Internet users including communication, information, entertainment, e-commerce and others. As of Sep 30, 2011, the active QQ users accounts for QQ IM amounted to 711.7 million while its peak concurrent users reached 145.4 million. The development of Tencent has profoundly influenced the ways hundreds of millions of Internet users communicate with one another as well as their lifestyles. It also brings possibilities of a wider range of applications to China's Internet industry.

DigitalGlobe Provides Superior Precision Aerial Imagery for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts

DigitalGlobe a leading global provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, today announced their agreement with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to provide statewide Precision Aerial imagery that exceeds the requirements of the Massachusetts state Geographic Information System (MassGIS) Department.

In order to improve response time and preparedness for natural disasters and to enhance information about state geography, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency will use DigitalGlobe's Precision Aerial imagery to create superior baseline maps at a lower cost and higher resolution.

"DigitalGlobe's aerial imagery can be shared across any state agency under this agreement, enhancing its value to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts," said Rafay Khan, senior vice president at DigitalGlobe. "Using this model, these images can offer the flexibility to benefit any state government for land management, disaster relief, and zoning and elevation data."

DigitalGlobe's Precision Aerial product offers complete leaf-off coverage, meaning that before the spring leaves arrive, the imagery displays a clear view of buildings, new developments and transportation routes. This off-the-shelf product delivers the most recent imagery with a faster turnaround rate and delivery. These features make procurement easier within the state, speeding the procurement process and lowering the overall cost.

The Precision Aerial product has a 30 cm resolution and 60 cm color infrared aerial mosaics with seamless coverage in the U.S. and Western Europe. Complete coverage of the U.S. will be mapped by June 2012, with additional refreshed coverage over the next few years. It integrates directly into any GIS workflow to provide application-ready imagery with high-resolution and best-in-class accuracy levels. With current, relevant, and broad coverage, Precision Aerial imagery becomes the one-stop-shop for any government agency or enterprise looking to tackle tough issues, from land use and zoning, to transportation and the environment.

DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and services. Sourced from our own advanced satellite constellation, our imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses within defense and intelligence, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals and navigation technology. With our collection sources and comprehensive ImageLibrary (containing more than two billion square kilometers of earth imagery and imagery products) we offer a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable customers to easily access and integrate our imagery into their business operations and applications. For more information, visit www.digitalglobe.com.

DigitalGlobe Providing Broader Content Across Microsoft Bing Maps and Xbox

Longmont,CO - DigitalGlobe, a leading global provider of high-resolution earth imagery solutions, today announced two licensing agreements with Microsoft.

The first agreement more than doubles the volume of high-resolution imagery DigitalGlobe delivers to Microsoft for use in its Bing Maps service. The imagery, delivered on a quarterly basis, will provide refreshed content covering millions of square kilometers of the earth's surface, including up-to-date imagery for the world's highest-density urban areas.

"We've chosen to expand the use of DigitalGlobe satellite imagery to provide broader global coverage in Bing Maps," said Steve Stanzel, general manager at Microsoft. "With this increase and our continued work with DigitalGlobe for the collection of high-definition aerial imagery, we are improving our maps worldwide to offer a more comprehensive, consistent and functional mapping experience."

The second agreement enabled Microsoft Studios to extensively feature DigitalGlobe imagery in the recently launched Forza Motorsport 4 racing game for the Xbox 360. The Forza Motorsport series is one of the world's most realistic and successful racing franchises. The latest installment, Forza Motorsport 4, features the first-ever combination of DigitalGlobe satellite and Microsoft aerial imagery into a seamless gaming experience, resulting in unprecedented, true-to-life detail.

Forza 4 game designers selected many high altitude and low altitude images for each track region featured in the game and combined them into a seamless animation sequence, using advanced memory management techniques. The result gives players the experience of travelling across the globe in Forza Motorsport 4's World Tour mode.

Both agreements took effect in the fourth quarter of 2011.

"We are proud to know that DigitalGlobe content plays a valuable role in helping Microsoft achieve its business objectives and deliver a superior, photo-realistic experience for its end-users," said Rafay Kahn, senior vice president at DigitalGlobe. "We look forward to a successful, ongoing relationship with Microsoft in order to support the millions who use their products and services every day for insight, understanding and entertainment."

DigitalGlobe is a leading global provider of commercial high-resolution earth imagery products and services. Sourced from our own advanced satellite constellation, our imagery solutions support a wide variety of uses within defense and intelligence, civil agencies, mapping and analysis, environmental monitoring, oil and gas exploration, infrastructure management, Internet portals and navigation technology. With our collection sources and comprehensive ImageLibrary (containing more than two billion square kilometers of earth imagery and imagery products) we offer a range of on- and off-line products and services designed to enable customers to easily access and integrate our imagery into their business operations and applications. For more information, visit www.digitalglobe.com.