Wireless Priority Service (WPS) OVERCOMING WIRELESS CONGESTION IN EMERGENCIES

2 Outline The Issue – Congestion What is WPS? Why do you need WPS? How do you use WPS? How much does WPS cost? Who is eligible for WPS? How do you order WPS? Satellite backup Contact information

3 The FUNDAMENTAL Issue: Network Congestion 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 Congestion, at one of many points, can block a call !

4 What is WPS? An enhancement to basic wireless service that allows your National Security/Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP) calls to queue for priority service in order to complete the call WPS dramatically improves “end-to-end” call completion during emergencies

5 Why Do You Need WPS? Disasters, terrorist attacks, and major accidents trigger tremendous telephone traffic in the landline and wireless networks NS/EP personnel at all levels of government compete with the public for these congested landline and wireless resources GETS provides the means to get your landline call through WPS provides the means to get your wireless call through

6 Guidance on User Eligibility Persons in NS/EP leadership positions and key staff Applicable at all levels: Federal, State, and Local User CategoryExamples Executive Leadership/Policy Makers President, Governors, Lt Governors, City/County leaders, Cabinet officers, key senior staff Disaster Response / Military Command & Control Continuity of government and national security leadership; Emergency Operations Center (EOC) coordinators/directors Public Health, Safety, Law Enforcement Senior command levels of law enforcement, fire and public safety functions Public Services / Utilities and Public Welfare Corps Of Engineers leadership; Water/sewage/ telecomm/transportation leadership Disaster RecoveryMedical resources; sheltering; infrastructure damage assessment; Disaster Field Office (DFO)

7 Typical WPS User Functions Managing the initial response to an emergency at the local, state, regional and federal levels Leadership of departments and agencies including key support staff Insuring reconstruction of the basic infrastructure Essential Continuity of Government (COG) and national security functions Operations critical to life, property, and maintenance of law and order immediately after an event Managing public works, utility infrastructure damage assessment, restoration efforts and transportation to accomplish emergency response activities Managing medical resources Managing a variety of recovery operations after the initial response Establishing and sustaining shelters Obtaining detailed damage assessments

8 Available nationwide in most, if not all, service areas for these carriers: AT&T Cellular South SouthernLINC Sprint/Nextel Sprint PCS T-Mobile Verizon Wireless See “Carriers” on the WPS website ( for specific coveragehttp://wps.ncs.gov WPS Carriers and Coverage

9 How Do You Use WPS? When you need to make an official call, and you encounter congestion, simply retry your call but prefix your dialed number with *272 –e.g. * Everything else is automatic – your call will queue for up to 30 seconds and “grab” the next available path

10 How Much Does WPS Cost? WPS feature subscription rate: $10.00 one-time activation fee $4.50 monthly service fee $.75 per minute for WPS calls (*272) WPS minutes are not charged against your basic service WPS charges are in addition to your commercial plan charges

11 How Do You Order WPS? Your organization Point of Contact (POC) applies for WPS for all users within organization WPS website: wps.ncs.gov Telephone: 866-NCS-CALL, Select Option 2 for WPS Upon WPS approval, POC forwards carrier account activation information to NCS NCS orders WPS feature added to user’s basic service If user does not already have carrier service, user acquires basic commercial service

12 GETS priority is invoked “call-by-call” The GETS Calling Card Disaster Response Team #1 US CITY EOC 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

13 WPS Contact Information WEBSITES: MAILING ADDRESS: Building Murray Lane Washington, DC TELEPHONE: Information/Sign-Up NCS-CALL (Option 2 for WPS) Trouble Reporting (24x7)