Wireless Priority Service (WPS)

Lt Col Joanne Sechrest Mgr, Wireless Priority Service DHS/ IAIP/ NCS [email protected]

703.607.4960

http://www.ncs.gov

Outline

      

Overview Criteria Operational Concept Cost How to Order Special Purpose Communications Contact Information

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Problem: Network Congestion

Congestion, at many points, can block a call !

Mobile Switch Local Exchange Networks AT&T MCI SPRINT Local Exchange Networks Mobile Switch Government Emergency Telecommunications Service addresses

wireline congestion

Wireless Priority Service addresses

wireless congestion at call origination and call termination

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Wireless Priority Service (WPS) Attack on America, Sep 11, 2001

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During peak, wireless traffic increased by 50 to 100 percent nationwide

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One wireless carrier’s traffic ballooned by 400 percent in Washington and 1,000 percent in a NY area switching center

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Urgent requirement for wireless priority access

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Solution: Wireless Priority Service

“Add-on” feature to your existing cell service Wireline Networks *272 Destin ation# Mobile Switch Mobile Switch Dial *272 and the destination number: Call queues for next available radio channel For cell and landline congestion: Dial *272 and GETS access number, enter PIN, and dial destination number

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Who is Eligible to Use WPS?

More narrow than GETS eligibility

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Persons in NS/EP leadership positions, key staff, and key locations

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Applicable at all levels: Federal, State, Regional, Municipal, Industry User Classification #1: Executive Leadership/Policy Makers #2: Disaster Response / Military Command & Control #3: Public Health, Safety, Law Enforcement #4: Public Services/Utilities and Public Welfare #5: Disaster Recovery Examples President, Governors, Lt Governors, City/County leaders, Cabinet officers, key senior staff Continuity of government and national security leadership; EOC coordinators/directors Senior command levels of law enforcement, fire and public safety functions COE leadership; water/sewage/ telecomm/transportation leadership Medical resources; sheltering; infrastructure damage assessment; JFO

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Nationwide: Initial Operating Capability

Dial * 272 + dest. # + send Q Dest #

Initial Priority Treatment

Mobile Switch Wireline Networks Government GETS Q Emergency Telecommunications Service GETS Q If dest. is long distance… Mobile Switch CALL CALL

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WPS IOC Limitations

  

IOC provided

one major capability

:

priority to cell tower (only)

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Cell tower access is the major cause of blockage for localized “hot spot” congestion



Tanker truck overturned on expressway.

During wide area event, IOC capability got the radio channel but did not overcome congestion in the rest of the mobile network.

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Large area chemical spill. Large area blackout.

FOC corrects these limitations

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Nationwide: Full Operating Capability

Dial * 272 + dest. # + send Dest # Q Congestion: No radio channel Call gets to congested switch Mobile Switch Q Q Q

End-to-End Priority Treatment

Q Q Wireline Networks Government GETS Q Emergency Telecommunications Service GETS Q If dest. is long distance… Or… CALL Mobile Switch Q Q If dest. is mobile in another MSC… CALL If dest. is local mobile…

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How Do You Use WPS?

 When you need to make an official call, and you encounter congestion, retry your call but prefix your dialed number with *272  e.g. *272 703 555-1234  Everything else is automatic – your call will queue for up to 30 seconds, “grabbing” the next channel  If landline networks are also congested, utilize *272 plus the GETS access number to get priority in both wireless and landline networks 10

Nationwide WPS Program

 GSM carriers  T-Mobile:  AT&T Wireless:  Cingular:  Nextel: FOC complete FOC Aug 04 – Dec 04 FOC Jul 04 – Dec 04 IOC complete

GSM FOC complete by Dec 05!

 CDMA Carriers (Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS) estimated to be added in 2006 11

WPS Modeled Performance

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Current Baseline NS/EP After WPS Implementation 1 2 3 4 5 6 Increasing Load Level (x Engineered Load) 7 8 9

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General Caveats

 WPS is a digital service – it will not work on an analog network  WPS will work when roaming on a network partner carrier only if that network also has WPS capability  WPS will queue in a destination cellular network only if that network has WPS capability  WPS will not send location data to a 9-1-1 call 13

WPS Cost

 WPS feature subscription rates:  Not more than $10 one-time activation fee  Not more than $4.50 monthly service fee  Not more than $0.75 per minute for WPS calls  Available on numerous Government contracts  See specific contract information on the “Carriers” portion of the WPS website (wps.ncs.gov) 14

Is Your Agency Prepared?

   Where can WPS augment existing emergency communications capabilities?

Do your key leaders and decision makers need WPS?

Do you incorporate WPS into emergency plans and exercises?

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WPS Puerto Rico/Virgin Islands

Organization Federal Government Industry- Financial Industry – Telecom Industry – Utilities Industry – Health Local Government Other NS/EP WPS

8 0 0 0 0 0 0 16

How Do You Order WPS?

Step 1 - Establish a POC:

- Find out if your organization has a WPS “Point of Contact” – work with your POC to add services - If no POC, assign a Program Lead with the authority and time to implement - Recommend combined GETS/WPS POC

Step 2:

Identify individuals and functions to have WPS.

Identify existing phone numbers Step 3:

Establish on-line account

Step 4:

Order WPS thru on-line system

Step 5:

If you already have phone service, WPS is “turned on” in 3-5 days

Step 6:

Update emergency plans and drills to include WPS 17

Secure Communications

    Sectera phone allows secure communications on GSM networks Sectera is a modified Motorola P-280   Secure module makes unit about ¼ inch thicker Phone has a voice number, data number, and fax number Users acquire phone through National Security Agency contract Service is arranged through your carrier representative 18

Satellite Backup

 Satellite phones provide additional backup when cellular or landline service is not available for any reason  Not just for rural environments  Good example: power outages make office private branch exchanges (PBXs) inoperable, and outages that last for more than several hours can exhaust backup power supplies at cell towers  Carriers include Globalstar, Iridium, Inmarsat, etc.

 Can be utilized as handheld mobile sets, in vehicles with mobile or fixed installations, and in structures with fixed antenna units 19

WPS Web Site

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WPS Contact Information

MAILING ADDRESS: OMNCS P. O. Box 4502 Arlington, VA 22204-4502 WEBSITES: http://wps.ncs.gov

TELEPHONE: Information/Sign-Up

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1-866 NCS-CALL (627 2255) or 703 676-2255 (Option 2 for WPS) Trouble Reporting (24x7)

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1-800-818-4387

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Or 703-818-4387 E-MAIL: [email protected]

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