1. National Communications System
Assuring Communications
During
An Emergency
Dan Currie
Eastern Regional Outreach Coordinator
GETS/WPS Program
Phone:

2. National Communications System
1993- Present
FRP
Comm Annex
(1992)
PDD-63
CIP
(1998)
Cuban Missile
Crisis (1962)
National Plans
For CIP
(2000/2001)
National Response Framework (NRF)
(Present)
NCS
(1963)
NCS consists of 24 Federal member departments and agencies and is responsible for ensuring the availability of a viable national security and emergency preparedness (NS/EP) communications infrastructure.
Divestiture
NSTAC Established
EO 12382
EO 12472
EO 12656
Critical Infrastructure
Protection
PCCIP
(1996)
Telecom ISAC
(2000)
CIP Board
(2001)

3. National Communications System
The NCS works with the telecommunications industry to develop and deploy National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications Services.
Priority telecommunications services are available to qualifying federal, state, local, and tribal government, industry, and non-governmental organizational personnel in performing their NS/EP missions.
Priority telecommunications services are designed to augment existing emergency communications capabilities. 3

4. Apr 09
NCS Priority Services
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)
Priority access to the public wireline network
GETS is supported by all major service providers
Wireless Priority Service (WPS)
Priority access to the public wireless network
WPS is available through AT&T, Edge Wireless, SouthernLINC, Sprint/Nextel, T-Mobile, Verizon
*272
Because access to the public communications network is degraded in times of crisis, the NCS programs ensure priority access for critical users
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
Establishes priority for restoration/provisioning of NS/EP circuits
Supported by an FCC regulatory mandate
Joanne Sechrest - NCS Overview

5. “I’m sorry, all circuits are busy now.
The Problem
“I’m sorry, all circuits are busy now.
Please hang up and try your call again later.”

6. The Problem What do you do? What Do You Do?
What do you do that requires a voice call?
What do you do if you can’t make a normal call?
What do you do if you can’t make an emergency call?
What are your options?
What can you afford?
What Do You Do?

7. Problem: During an Emergency, Mass Calling Causes Network Congestion
Home
PBX
Office
Fax
Satellite ..
Cell
PBX ..
Local Switch
Public
Network
Mobile Switch
Congestion at many points!

8. Network Congestion
After a major disaster, mass calling by the public often triggers congestion in landline and cellular networks, forcing emergency responders and other key personnel to compete with the public for the same overloaded communications resources!

9. GETS-WPS Network Congestion
Katrina – Rita 2005
Katrina: 33 phone company central offices damaged, over 1,000 cell sites out of service, and more than 3 million phones inoperable
Rita: Calls into 7 Area Codes in southern Texas experienced network congestion the 3 days before Hurricane Rita impacted the coast

10. GETS-WPS Network Congestion
Minneapolis - Aug 3, 2007
“Cell-phone congestion blocked some calls near the collapsed bridge site Wednesday evening, causing Minneapolis police to ask people to get off their phones. Police needed to use the cell-phone networks themselves to mobilize doctors, the Red Cross and other emergency workers who don't have police radios.”
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News - August 3, 2007

11. Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)
GETS is a no cost calling card that provides priority for outbound calls to all regular telephone numbers
GETS uses the full capacity of the public network, it is not a separate system with limited capacity
GETS Cards are typically provided to
People: individuals needing priority capability 24x7x365
Places: locations needing priority capability
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER CA -
OFC OF GOVERNOR
Janet Napolitano
DHS
- Secretary
Caveats:
GETS will not work without dial tone
May experience soundless delays while queuing
GETS provides priority calling but might not mitigate cellular congestion
GETS cannot be used for toll free numbers

12. MAKING A GETS CALL Dial GETS Access Number
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER CA -
OFC OF GOVERNOR
Janet Napolitano
DHS
- Secretary
Dial GETS Access Number
Listen for tone, then enter your PIN (do not enter # after last digit)
Listen for voice prompt: “Please enter your destination number now.”
Enter the destination number (omit the 1 before the area code)
You will hear an announcement “You are using GETS, AT&T/Verizon/Sprint”
Network will route your call to the destination telephone number
12 Digit Personal Identification Number (PIN)
User Name and Organization
GETS Access Number
Toll Free number for each GETS carrier (backup)
WPS Dialing Instructions
Toll Free User Assistance number (24x7)
Periods of silence are normal – particularly if call is queued during heavy congestion. Calls may take 30 to 60 seconds to complete

13. How GETS Works Alternate Carrier Routing
NS/EP Call Marking
Signaling Priority
High Probability of Completion (HPC) Features
Alternate Carrier Routing
Trunk Queuing
Exemption from Network Management Controls
Home
PBX ..
Local Switch
PBX
Office
PSTN
Fax
GETS enhancements are deployed in the 3 major Interexchange Carriers (IXC) and in the major Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) across the US
GETS local enhancements are available from over 85% of the access lines connecting to the PSTN
Satellite
Calls complete via LEC landline or mobile switch ..
Mobile
Switch
Cell
Calls to the GETS Access Numbers are identified by local wireline or mobile switch for HPC Treatment

14. Wireless Priority Service (WPS)
WPS provides priority for emergency calls made from cell phones including PDAs
The WPS feature is requested on a per-phone basis through the NCS for Alltel, AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless), Cellular South, Edge Wireless, SouthernLINC, Sprint Nextel, Sprint PCS, T-Mobile, and Verizon Wireless.
WPS typically costs $60 to $70 per phone per year (a maximum of $4.50/month, $10 one-time, 75 cents per minute)
*272 +
Destination
number
Caveats:
WPS will not work without a signal
May need GET/WPS together to complete the call
Users may experience waits up to 28 seconds
WPS may not work when roaming
9-1-1 loses geo locator

15. Making a WPS Call Confirm radio signal
Enter *272 + destination telephone number and push SEND key (example: * SEND )

16. How WPS Works
WPS adds Radio Channel Queuing between the mobile phone and base station and High Probability of Completion (HPC) features to Cellular Networks
Radio Channel Queuing
HPC
Calling Party
Called Party
Other Cellular Service Providers .. ..
WPS Mobile Switch ..
Originating Radio Channel Queuing
Provides priority access to radio channels when placing a cellular call
Requires WPS subscription and entering Ý272 + Destination Number
WPS Equipped Mobile Switches
Treats WPS calls same as GETS calls, giving them NS/EP marking
Provides same HPC features as GETS without having to dial GETS access number and PIN
Long distance WPS calls are routed through HPC capable networks of the GETS carriers or Cellular carriers
Local calls route directly to local carriers
Terminating Radio Channel Queuing
Provides priority access to radio channels on inward NS/EP calls (WPS or GETS)
Requires WPS Full Operational Capability in the terminating Mobile Switch
Called Mobile Phone DOES NOT have to be subscribed to WPS

17. Who Should Have GETS/WPS?
Individuals who need to communicate anytime/anyplace should have personal GETS Cards and WPS Subscribed Cell Phones
Senior Leadership
Media Relations
Emergency Management and staff
Police/Fire Chiefs and staff
Police/Fire Field Command
Department Heads and staff
Team leaders
Subject matter experts/trained specialists
Others Individuals with an Emergency Preparedness and Response role.
Key Locations and Functions should have GETS cards for use during emergencies
EOC Work Stations
Back-up EOC
PSAPs
Computer/IT Center
Police/Fire Dispatch
Shelters
Command Vehicles

18. GETS/WPS Performance
9/11 Terrorist Attack: Over 10,000 GETS calls were attempted in NYC and DC areas with 95% completion rate
Aug 03 NE Power Outage: 1,231 GETS calls were made in affected areas with 90%+ success rate
Hurricane Season 2005:
Over 40,000 GETS Calls were attempted with 94% successfully routed
Over 5,000 WPS Calls were attempted. 95% gained access to the radio channel and 63% were completed

19. GETS/WPS Performance Washington Storms (DEC 2006)
Florida Storms (FEB 2006)
GETS Calls
94.4% Routed Successfully
WPS Calls
100% Assigned Radio Channel
GETS Calls
96% Routed Successfully
WPS Calls
74% Assigned Radio Channel
Virginia Tech (APR 2007)
GETS Calls
100% Routed Successfully
WPS Calls
100% Assigned Radio Channel

20. Critical Communications Services May Experience Outages
Apr 09
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
Critical Communications Services May Experience Outages
Cable Hut – Lower Manhattan Sep 01
Joanne Sechrest - NCS Overview

21. Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
Apr 09
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
Established on 17 November 1988 by FCC Report and Order FCC
The FCC designated the Executive Office of the President (EOP) as administrator of the TSP Program, who in turn, delegated its responsibilities to the Manager, NCS
TSP is a mandatory requirement for all FCC-regulated telecommunications companies
Tariffs are approved by state utility regulators
TSP provides an FCC mandate on how carriers install and repair telecommunications services. The NCS executes the program on behalf of the FCC.
TSP is mandatory for all telecommunications companies. This is important because we find that some smaller companies are not always aware TSP, even though they are required to comply with it. If you run into problems or your service provider has questions, please refer them to us. with tariffs for this service being approved by state utility regulators.
As a note, there is a charge for the program, and state utility regulators approve the tariff rate. We will discuss this further in a few minutes.
Joanne Sechrest - NCS Overview

22. Must be requested and assigned before a service outage occurs
Apr 09
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
The TSP program contains two primary and distinctive components:
Provisioning
Restoration
A restoration priority is
applied to new or existing
telecommunication
services to ensure
restoration before a non-
TSP System user.
telecommunications
TSP program user.
Must be requested and assigned before a service outage occurs
Provisioning
A provisioning priority is
A provisioning priority is
obtained to facilitate the
obtained to facilitate the
priority installation of
new
priority installation of
new
telecommunication
telecommunications
services in a shorter than
services in a shorter than
normal interval .
normal interval .
The TSP program consists of two components:
Restoration, and
Provisioning.
TSP restoration priorities are applied to new or existing telecommunication services to ensure they are restored by telecommunications vendors before a non-TSP program user. Note that TSP restoration assignments must be requested and assigned before a service outage occurs. In other words, a user cannot request restoration assignments for critical circuits after a natural or technical disaster strikes.
TSP Provisioning priorities facilitate the priority installation of new telecommunication services by vendors in a shorter than normal time interval. However, this service cannot be used to compensate for inadequate planning on the part of the user.
With the exception of EMERGENCY Provisioning orders, restoration orders are processed before new service provisioning orders. In all cases the service order is expedited according to the service vendor’s “Best Effort”.
TSP is a critical FCC & NCS Program that registers vital circuits for priority repair or installation
~35,000 circuits registered before 9/11
18,000 new circuits registered since 9/11
131 new agencies registering since 9/11
Major factor in Wall Street recovery on 9/17
Used by major carriers for prioritization
Cannot be used to compensate for inadequate planning
Joanne Sechrest - NCS Overview

23. Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)
TSP is ordered from your service provider at rates set by the service provider and state public utility commission
Restoration averages: $100 initial; $3 monthly recurring charge
Provisioning will have TSP tariff in addition to the provider’s service charge
Caveat:
TSP offers no guaranteed duration for repair or installation, guarantees action occurs before non-TSP requests

24. Ordering TSP Provisioning Restoration
Apr 09
Ordering TSP
Step 1: Establish on-line account
Step 1: Contract service provider to establish date
Step 2: Identify specific services for TSP
Provisioning
Restoration
Step 2: Call NCS to receive TSP code
Step 3: Submit TSP service requests thru on-line system
Step 3: Provide TSP code to service provider
Step 4: Obtain TSP code for each approved service
Step 5: Provide TSP code to your service provider
Step 6: Update records and procedures to reflect implementation
Joanne Sechrest - NCS Overview

25. How do you ensure reliable and responsive communications?
Closing
How do you ensure reliable and responsive communications?
Network congestion is very likely to occur during a major emergency or disaster, making it difficult to complete emergency calls
GETS and WPS significantly increase probability of call completion
GETS and WPS are easy to request and administer using the on-line system
No cost for GETS cards, WPS is less than 5% of the typical annual cell phone cost (approximately $70 first year, $60 second year)
What’s YOUR next step?
“The only thing tougher than planning for a disaster is explaining why you didn't!"

26. National Communications System
Resources
For more information:
For Assistance setting up on-line Accounts and ordering:
Priority Telecommunications Service Center:
8am to 6pm Eastern Time
follow voice prompts for each service
Dan Currie
Eastern Regional Outreach Coordinator
GETS/WPS Program
Phone:
National Communications System