what3words is a global addressing solution that has divided the world into 3m x 3m squares, each with a unique address made of 3 dictionary words. Using words instead of numbers or coordinates makes addresses easy to remember and share. It can be used in 26 languages, with more in development. It is the simplest way to talk about location, and gives everyone and everywhere an address. what3words is free for any individual to download to their smartphone, or use online. People can find the address of their front door and share it with friends, emergency services, government services and authorities. It can be used to identify assets such as water sources, electricity pylons and schools. Businesses can also integrate our technology to enable more efficient operations. Our long-term goal is to be a global addressing standard, so everyone in the world - in cities, on remote islands or even ger tents on the Mongolian plains - has a simple and reliable address they can use whenever they need it. We want deliveries and services worldwide to use 3 word addresses to become more efficient, reducing environmental impact and pressure on crowded cities, and helping them become more resilient. We can help e-commerce flourish in developing countries, boosting economies, lifting people out of poverty and giving the entire population access to the same opportunities. what3words can be a standard for locating people in disaster situations, saving lives and making better use of aid resources.
Compared to current street addressing systems, 3 word addresses are far more accurate, as they refer to a specific 3m x 3m square on the ground. They provide universal coverage, so can be used to communicate any location, not just a building. The entire grid is fixed, so the 3 word address for a particular location will never change - even if the buildings or streets are redeveloped. 3 word addresses are unique, unlike street names which are often duplicated, and they are easier to remember, use and share with others. One alternative is GPS coordinates, but the long strings of numbers are impossible to remember and very difficult to communicate accurately without mistakes, which are also hard to spot Introducing what3words is also much faster and more cost-efficient than for regular street addressing system as every 3 word address has already been pre-assigned. Other attempts have been made to simplify addressing. These have used combinations of letters and numbers, which are far less human-friendly. what3words is unique in that it is based on words. This makes it accessible and easy for people to remember, use and share with others. Most alternatives also require each address to be created or generated, whilst 3 word addresses already exist for everywhere on earth, meaning they can be used immediately, without needing to be set up. Also, our system is based on an algorithm, rather than a database, so it works offline in regions where there is no connectivity.