What3Words - Addressing the world

Describing where you are in Somerset can be tricky. Postcodes cover large areas, many houses have names rather than numbers and, if you need help on a footpath, towpath or country road, it can be hard to give your exact location.
UK technology company what3words has a solution. It has divided the world into 3m squares and given each square a unique 3 word identifier.

///winemaker.hillside.receive for example, is the what3words address for Dunkery Beacon – the highest point in Somerset.

what3words can be used via a free mobile app or the online map at www.what3words.com. The app is well worth downloading as you can use it to find your current what3words address and give it to Somerset emergency services if atyou ever need to call 999. With just 3 words, they can find your exact location.

Avon and Somerset Police were in fact the first emergency service to officially adopt what3words and now over 70 services in the UK have followed suit – including Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue and South Western Ambulance Service.

In March 2019, what3words was used to locate a Somerset mother and daughter after their car left the road and landed on its side in a field.

And what3words is not only for emergencies. Businesses around the UK are adding their what3words address to their website contact info and business cards, helping customers, guests and suppliers find them more easily.
One local example is Taunton’s ‘Company Spaces’, which can be found at ///circle.dwell.moss. The three words can be typed, scanned or spoken into the what3words app, and then simply tap ‘Navigate’ to get directions to the precise location using Google Maps, Waze or your favourite navigation app.

​The what3words app is also great for meeting up with friends in places without a street address – a point in a field at Glastonbury Festival, a fishing spot along a river or a favourite park bench. It’s used by community groups including runners, hikers and scouts to plan meet-ups and events. what3words addresses can also be entered directly into some apps that you may already use such as hiking apps ViewRanger and Pocket Earth, or horse-riding safety app Huufe.
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You can even use what3words addresses for voice navigation in many Mercedes-Benz and Ford vehicles.
Use this QR code, or search ‘what3words’ in the App Store or Google Play Store to download the free what3words app today.

Familiarise yourself with how it works, discover the 3 words for your home or businesses, and tell friends and family so they can download it too and stay safe in an emergency.

https://what3words.com/