virtualearth.net/REST/v1/Locations/ False Negatives

we using bing maps rest service validate zip codes.  it works great except issue came across recently.

when call locations method , pass in zip , state, 1 out of 10 times (the same parameter values) return 0 results.  

is expected behavior, version issue, or new bug?

i new forum , not sure information helpful in situation.

thank you.

edit - 

http://dev.virtualearth.net/rest/v1/locations?q=seattle&output=xml&key=apikey

feel free test yourself.  re-load page until estimatedresult 0.

<response xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/xmlschema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/xmlschema-instance" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/search/local/ws/rest/v1"> <copyright> copyright © 2015 microsoft , suppliers. rights reserved. api cannot accessed , content , results may not used, reproduced or transmitted in manner without express written permission microsoft corporation. </copyright> <brandlogouri> http://dev.virtualearth.net/branding/logo_powered_by.png </brandlogouri> <statuscode>200</statuscode> <statusdescription>ok</statusdescription> <authenticationresultcode>validcredentials</authenticationresultcode> <traceid> 845e5ed60faa454e82b8ff9fa77202d7|ch10101340|02.00.152.100|ch1sch060050941 </traceid> <resourcesets> <resourceset> <estimatedtotal>0</estimatedtotal> <resources/> </resourceset> </resourcesets> </response>

should be 

<response xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/xmlschema" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/xmlschema-instance" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/search/local/ws/rest/v1"> <copyright> copyright © 2015 microsoft , suppliers. rights reserved. api cannot accessed , content , results may not used, reproduced or transmitted in manner without express written permission microsoft corporation. </copyright> <brandlogouri> http://dev.virtualearth.net/branding/logo_powered_by.png </brandlogouri> <statuscode>200</statuscode> <statusdescription>ok</statusdescription> <authenticationresultcode>validcredentials</authenticationresultcode> <traceid> 68a05cd296154af096be8cdb26419560|ch10043643|02.00.152.100|ch1sch050020804, ch1sch060062941, ch1sch060051741 </traceid> <resourcesets> <resourceset> <estimatedtotal>2</estimatedtotal> <resources> <location> <name>seattle, wa</name> <point> <latitude>47.603569030761719</latitude> <longitude>-122.32945251464844</longitude> </point> <boundingbox> <southlatitude>47.253395080566406</southlatitude> <westlongitude>-123.16571807861328</westlongitude> <northlatitude>47.946159362792969</northlatitude> <eastlongitude>-121.50344085693359</eastlongitude> </boundingbox> <entitytype>populatedplace</entitytype> <address> <admindistrict>wa</admindistrict> <admindistrict2>king co.</admindistrict2> <countryregion>united states</countryregion> <formattedaddress>seattle, wa</formattedaddress> <locality>seattle</locality> </address> <confidence>high</confidence> <matchcode>good</matchcode> <geocodepoint> <latitude>47.603569030761719</latitude> <longitude>-122.32945251464844</longitude> <calculationmethod>rooftop</calculationmethod> <usagetype>display</usagetype> </geocodepoint> </location> <location> <name>seattle, mexico</name> <point> <latitude>20.718687057495117</latitude> <longitude>-103.37643432617187</longitude> </point> <boundingbox> <southlatitude>20.713150024414063</southlatitude> <westlongitude>-103.38278198242187</westlongitude> <northlatitude>20.722370147705078</northlatitude> <eastlongitude>-103.36917877197266</eastlongitude> </boundingbox> <entitytype>neighborhood</entitytype> <address> <admindistrict>jal</admindistrict> <countryregion>mexico</countryregion> <formattedaddress>seattle, mexico</formattedaddress> <locality>seattle</locality> </address> <confidence>high</confidence> <matchcode>good</matchcode> <geocodepoint> <latitude>20.718687057495117</latitude> <longitude>-103.37643432617187</longitude> <calculationmethod>rooftop</calculationmethod> <usagetype>display</usagetype> </geocodepoint> </location> </resources> </resourceset> </resourcesets> </response>

if using basic or trial key more being rate limited. when these types of accounts make large number of requests in short period of time or when there lot of load on servers, these accounts rate limited ensure not cause performance issues licensed users using enterprise keys. if @ header of response see flag indicates request rate limited. documented in few places:

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff701703.aspx

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn894107.aspx?f=255&mspperror=-2147217396 

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