Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) OVERCOMING WIRELINE CONGESTION IN EMERGENCIES

The Fundamental Issue: Network Congestion Congestion, at one of many points, can block a call! AT&T MCI SPRINT Local Exchange Networks Mobile Switch Wireless Priority Service addresses wireless congestion at Government Emergency Telecommunications Service addresses wireline congestion Local Exchange Networks Mobile Switch Mobile Switch call origination and call termination

The GETS Calling Card GETS USER GETS USER ORGANIZATION GETS priority is invoked “call-by-call” Calling cards are in widespread use and easily understood by the NS/EP User, simplifying GETS usage GETS is a "ubiquitous" service in the Public Switched Telephone Network…if you can get a DIAL TONE, you can make a GETS call US GOVERNMENT PROPERTY. If found, return to: NCS (N3), P.O. Box 4502, Arlington VA WARNING: For Official Use Only by Authorized Personnel.

User Dials NCS-GETS AT IXC AT&T IXC MCI IXC Sprint IXC OTHER EO AT AIN IXC AT&T IXC MCI IXC Sprint IXC OTHER Query AIN Platform Routing Instructions For Alternate Carrier Routing (ACR) “Other” IXC calls stopped at EO Call Passed to IXC TONE -- Enter PIN “Please enter your destination number now” “You are using GETS -- AT&T” GETS Call Processed NETWORK DAMAGE / CONGESTION ENCOUNTERED Enhanced Routing and Priority Treatment Call in IXC Queue Call in AT Queue CALL CONNECTED! EO Call Queues on Direct Trunk Group Call Queues on AT Trunk Group Call Queues on IXC Trunk Group Call in EO Queue Plus!..GETS has Exemption from Exemption from control restrictions control restrictions Priority in the Priority in the signaling network signaling network Government Emergency Telecommunications Service Name: Organization: Local Exchange Carrier Interexchange Carriers GETS Priority Features and Enhanced Routing

Power of GETS Utilizes robustness of the public switched network 6 Ways to get to long distance networks rather than 2 Priority over public calls in signaling network Exemption from Network Management Controls Enhanced routing alternatives in public networks Priority treatment in public networks Queuing for available circuits during access and egress, including queuing for circuits to Private Branch Exchanges (PBX) during egress GETS enhancements work for local and long distance calls

GETS Examples During 9/11 event 10,000 GETS calls attempted into/out of/within New York City and Washington area with 95% completion rate GETS not just for priority on Long Distance Calls GETS extremely useful with local congestion or damage –Extensive use for calls between end offices within NYC during 9/11 when local trunks damaged but long distance trunks still operational –Bridge with comm links swept away in Oregon floods – GETS connected shorelines via long distance back door –Nisqually Earthquake – GETS calls within area exempt from network management controls During Blackout 8/ GETS calls into/out of/within affected areas with 90% + success rate

Organizations that support one or more of the following five National Security / Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) mission areas, qualify for NCS sponsorship to become a GETS user: National Security Leadership National Security Posture and US Population Attack Warning Public Health, Safety, and Maintenance of Law and Order Public Welfare and Maintenance of National Economic Posture Disaster Recovery Non-Federal users require NCS member sponsorship Who is Authorized to Use GETS

Access the NCS GETS Homepage for information on GETS Use easy to follow process to sign up for GETS Download GETS documentation and training tools GETS Website: gets.ncs.gov

GETS Costs NCS pays for calls by Federal agencies up to an annual ceiling NCS cannot pay for non-Federal calls Non-Federal organizations establish an account through NCS to pay for calls GETS calls cost 7.5¢-10¢ per minute, depending on carrier –Operator assisted and international calls are higher Test calls to not billed NCS reserves right to bill for all calls if fraud or abuse is detected

Familiarization and Testing Encourage GETS cards be distributed to all personnel who have a need for emergency communication –Keep some in Stockpile for unanticipated needs (≈10%) Encourage GETS card holders to use their card to become familiar with how to use it while in a non- stressed non-emergency situation Use it from home, office, stores, hotels, etc., and on cellular networks – anywhere you might be in an emergency –PBX/Centrex/Payphones/Cellular may not recognize 710 area code – we need to get them fixed before an emergency occurs –Report problems to GETS User Assistance – GETS or ( GETS) –Use toll-free or CAC (1010xxx) numbers if 710-NCS- GETS fails Incorporate GETS into your exercise scenarios

How Do You Order GETS? If your organization already participates in GETS, your Point of Contact (POC) applies for GETS for all users within the organization To sign up a new organization: –Go to gets.ncs.gov to sign up on-line, or –Call 866-NCS-CALL, then choose option 1 Upon approval, GETS cards are mailed to the POC within a week

For More Information WEBSITES: MAILING ADDRESS: NCS (N3) P.O. Box 4502 Arlington, VA TELEPHONE: Information/Sign-Up NCS-CALL (Option 1 for GETS) Trouble Reporting (24x7)