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It's June 11 Woolpert; What Should I be Doing Now?

Date: June 11, 2018
Author: Jon Downey

Well, we made it to June 11, and the first phase of the Google Maps Platform rollout has begun. So, what do you need to do now?

Below you will find a timeline with recommended steps to take in the next several months to make sure your code is ready for Maps Platform.

Starting Today

Keyless Users
Are you receiving unexpected error messages? Is your map not displaying correctly? Back in June 2016, Google deprecated access to Google Maps without an API Key (no “key=” parameter in the URL), and officially blocked keyless access as of June 11. Google will be rolling this out gradually so problems may be intermittent.

Head over to the Maps Platform site and click “Get Started” to set up a Standard Plan project. Create and deploy an API Key to your application to restore functionality. If your volume is too high or your use case does not qualify for Standard Plan per Google’s Terms of Service, contact us to get a Premium Plan license in place until Maps Platform goes into full effect in September.

Standard Plan Users
Read through Google’s Guide for Existing Users, especially the new pricing model and changes to the APIs. Using the new reporting tools and Google’s calculator, estimate what your cost will be on Maps Platform. If the calculator indicates that you may benefit from volume discounts (well over 100,000 requests for any API each month), contact us to discuss how you can obtain them. Optimize your code to minimize your “advanced” requests and take advantage of new features.

If you anticipate your usage may exceed $200 in any month, make sure you have a credit card on file. Google is giving everyone $200 of free usage each month. If you exceed $200, your project will shut off for the rest of the month if you have not enabled credit card billing.

Premium Plan Users
The Maps Platform changes won’t affect you until the end of your contract, but you should get a good handle on your usage before the switch. We recommend using the new reporting tools to get a more-detailed picture of your usage. The API changes are live, so try them out and get updates in your pipeline to be ready. Read through Google’s Guide for Existing Users and optimize your code to minimize your “advanced” requests and take advantage of the new pricing model.

After July 16

Standard Plan Users
Starting July 16, Maps Platform pricing goes into effect for all new projects and existing Standard Plan projects. You will see Maps Platform billing rates in the console. Keep an eye on your daily billing, familiarize yourself with the new SKUs, and try to optimize your code to minimize your “advanced” requests and take advantage of the new pricing model.

Premium Plan Users
No changes for Premium Plan customers in July. Existing customers will not be moved to Maps Platform until September, at the earliest. Continue to try out the new APIs and features and optimize your code with the Maps Platform pricing model in mind.

September and Beyond

Standard Plan Users
Gap credits end September 16, so you’ll start getting billed the full Maps Platform rates. Keep an eye on your billing and take steps to optimize your code for the new pricing model. If your usage is high enough that you may benefit from volume pricing (well over 100,000 requests for any API each month), contact us to discuss how to obtain them.

Premium Plan Users
After September 1, existing Premium Plan licenses will start renewing onto Maps Platform. We’ll be in touch with existing Woolpert customers, as the end of your 12-month contract or bridge term approaches, to discuss transitioning to Maps Platform. Our team will examine your usage to develop a cost estimate, and work with you to optimize your code and configure your project(s) going forward. Check for the end date of your contract and contact your account manager if you have questions.

If you are not currently a Woolpert customer, but require assistance, please contact us to discuss how we can help with your transition.

- Jon Downey