National Communications System

1. National Communications System Dan Currie Eastern Regional Outreach Coordinator GETS/WPS Program Phone: 215-343-8767 dan.currie@associates.hq.dhs.gov danielcurrie@comcast.net Assuring Communications During An Emergency

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. 1981-1993 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. Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) Priority access to the public wireline network GETS is supported by all major service providers *272 NCS Priority Services • 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 • Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) • Establishes priority for restoration/provisioning of NS/EP circuits • Supported by an FCC regulatory mandate

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

6. 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? The Problem What do you do? What Do You Do?

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

8. 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! Network Congestion

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 EmergencyTelecommunications Service (GETS) 0123 4567 8910 0123 4567 8910 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Janet Napolitano CA DHS - - OFC OF GOVERNOR - Secretary • 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 • 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 WPS Dialing Instructions 0123 4567 8910 0123 4567 8910 ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER Janet Napolitano CA DHS - - OFC OF GOVERNOR - 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) 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 High Probability of Completion (HPC) Features • NS/EP Call Marking • Signaling Priority Home PBX .. .. .. Fax .. .. Calls to the GETS Access Numbers are identified by local wireline or mobile switch for HPC Treatment Calls complete via LEC landline or mobile switch Mobile Switch Local Switch • Trunk Queuing • Exemption from Network Management Controls PBX Office PSTN 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 Cell

14. 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) Wireless Priority Service (WPS) *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: *272 703 818 4387 - SEND )

16. Radio Channel Queuing HPC .. .. .. Originating Radio Channel Queuing • Provides priority access to radio channels when placing a cellular call • Requires WPS subscription and entering Ý272 + Destination Number 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 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 Calling Party Called Party Other Cellular Service Providers WPS Mobile Switch 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

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 Cable Hut – Lower Manhattan Sep 01 Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)

21. Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) • Established on 17 November 1988 by FCC Report and Order FCC 88-341 • 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

22. Restoration Restoration A restoration priority is A restoration priority is applied to new or existing applied to new or existing telecommunication telecommunications services to ensure services to ensure restoration before a non- restoration before a non- TSP System user. TSP program user. Must be requested and assigned before a service outage occurs Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) The TSP program contains two primary and distinctive components: Provisioning 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 . Cannot be used to compensate for inadequate planning

23. 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 Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) Caveat: TSP offers no guaranteed duration for repair or installation, guarantees action occurs before non-TSP requests

24. Step 1: Establish on-line account Ordering TSP 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

25. 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? Closing “The only thing tougher than planning for a disaster is explaining why you didn't!"

26. Resources • For more information: • www.ncs.gov • www.gets.ncs.gov • www.wps.ncs.gov • www.tsp.ncs.gov • For Assistance setting up on-line Accounts and ordering: • Priority Telecommunications Service Center: 1-866-627-2255 • 8am to 6pm Eastern Time • follow voice prompts for each service • Dan Currie • Eastern Regional Outreach Coordinator • GETS/WPS Program • Phone: 215-343-8767 • dan.currie@associates.hq.dhs.gov • danielcurrie@comcast.net National Communications System