What is data licensing?
What are the consequences of not
having the correct data licenses?
Why is it so important now to make sure
that everything is correctly licensed?
How do I find out which is the most appropriate
licence for the data I require?
Why is the Plan, Design & Build licence most appropriate for
professionals working in the construction and property sector?
Is there a licence that will let me share data
with all the other project partners on a job?
How can I keep track of when licences are due to expire?
Is there any way of knowing whether other people
in my company have already got the data I need?
What is data licensing?
Data licensing is about gaining the rights to acquire and use the data. You cannot buy Ordnance Survey data and own the Intellectual Property rights in the data. All data must be licensed by paying the appropriate fee. It follows that the licence has a term of validity and grants the users rights to use the data in certain ways (see some of the rights above for IBU and PDB licences). The rights to use the data are granted for the period of the licence and then there are obligations on what you can do with your data which makes use of Ordnance Survey data. For example the IBU licence does not allow you to archive the data after the period of the licence (12 months) whereas the PDB licence does grant archive capability for a further period of time.
What are the consequences of not
having the correct data licenses?
You may be asked to redress the illegal use of the data by the data owner irrespective of any embarrassing situations arising concerning old data, professional indemnity or remdial costs.
Why is it so important now to make sure
that everything is correctly licensed?
First and foremost having the correct licence prevents any embarrassing or legal scenarios arising which nobody wants. Most organisations provide Corporate Responsibility statements in their annual reports and Ordnance Survey data licensing should be included within such statements. Some planning legislation is now asking for specific types of mapping at specified scales and using appropriately licensed mapping from a reputable supplier will minimise the risks of possible rejection by approvers of schemes and planning officers. Approved licensed suppliers of Ordnance Survey data will ensure that you are provided with the latest data available and provide the appropriate licences.
How do I find out which is the most appropriate
licence for the data I require?
Please read the terms and conditions outlined on these pages. If you have further questions then call the CENTREMAPS helpline on 01886 832972 who will be able to assist you.
The helpline may have to direct the questions to Ordnance Survey in complex situations as it is their copyright.
Why is the Plan, Design & Build licence most appropriate for
professionals working in the construction and property sector?
Most organisations within the land and property or the building and construction industry will want to archive the data in electronic form following project completion. Only the PDB licence permits such archiving. The licence also provides for data sharing between project members and provides for licences for up to 2.5 years duration.
Is there a licence that will let me share data
with all the other project partners on a job?
Yes, the Plan, Design & Build licence is designed to meet that requirement.
How can I keep track of when licences are due to expire?
When you purchase the data from Centremapslive.com the Licence Management facility holds information about the purchase date and the licence period. This information can be retrieved by the system administrator who can decide to re-license the data or not at the click of a button. The system also warns when licences are approaching expiry.
Is there any way of knowing whether other people
in my company have already got the data I need?
If you select an area for which data has been purchased and is still in licence then the screen display will highlight the data extents.