Replacing Google Maps with OpenStreetMap: a successful POC forCanal+ Afrique
Background and motivation
Online maps have become essential for business applications. At Canal+ Afrique, the daily management of technical interventions relied on Google Maps to locate customers, plan rounds and calculate routes. But the cost of using Google APIs, and the dependence on an external supplier, led us to consider an alternative.
The objective entrusted to our team was to design a complete POC based on OpenStreetMap, in order to verify whether an open infrastructure could offer the same quality of experience, while reducing costs and guaranteeing total control of the data.
POC objectives
The POC was to demonstrate that a solution based on OpenStreetMapp could :
- display interactive maps covering the entire African continent,
- precisely geolocate customers,
- calculate and optimize technician itineraries,
- enable several operations to be planned simultaneously.
The ambition was clear: to achieve a professional level of performance and reliability, comparable to Google Maps, but without external dependency.
Our approach
Our team designed a complete solution hosted on Azure, based on the standards of the OpenStreetMap ecosystem.
The chosen open-source components (Leaflet, Nominatim, OSRM, PostgreSQL/PostGIS) were integrated into a controlled, flexible and scalable architecture.
Integration with the Canal+ Afrique application was seamless: maps and itineraries are displayed directly in the business interface, without changing user habits. Public POIs from OpenStreetMap are combined with Canal+'s private points, providing a clear view of the terrain.
Project progress
The POC was carried out to a tight schedule. In just a few weeks, the platform was up and running, connected to the business application and ready for testing in several African markets.
The technical teams have validated :
- the quality of geocoding and itineraries,
- fast map display,
- the relevance of results for daily planning.
Performance exceeded initial expectations. The user experience remained fluid, even over limited network connections.
The deadline was met, and the customer decided to put the solution into production at the end of the POC.
Results
The deployment of this solution has enabled Canal+ Afrique to :
- significantly reduce mapping costs,
- gain technological independence,
- freely adapt maps and data to business needs,
- and enhance its own POIs and field information.
The system is now used in production to plan technical interventions, with a high level of availability and user satisfaction.
Mastered know-how
This project illustrates our team's ability to transform a critical need into a robust and sustainable solution.
We were able to combine open source technologies and cloud infrastructure to deliver a high-performance mapping solution, adapted to the African context and fully integrated with existing business tools.
Beyond the case of Canal+ Afrique, this experience proves that it is now possible to replace Google Maps with a tailor-made OpenStreetMap solution, without compromising on quality or performance.
Conclusion
The POC kept all its promises: meeting the deadline, technical validation, adoption by the customer.
Canal+ Afrique now has an autonomous, cost-effective and scalable mapping system, tailor-made for its field operations. This is confirmed by Zakaria EL JAOUHARI, Project Manager at Canal+:
"Canal+ is very satisfied with the OpenStreetMap solution deployed withIdema for our distribution network in Africa , a solution which after 8 months of use has perfectly met our expectations in terms of autonomy and cost savings for such a mapping service."
For our team, this project demonstrates that an open, controlled approach to mapping is no longer an experimental alternative, but a fully-fledged strategic solution for companies wishing to regain control of their data and costs.
