Everything
you wanted to Know about …
G E T S
… But didn’t know who to ask.
Jim Devlin, OCC
Chuck Madine, FRB
Wayne Pacine, FRB
Agenda
‰ Objectives
ƒ Introduce to new users
ƒ Answer questions asked by current users
‰ Level-Setting / Overview
ƒ
Definitions – GETS, WPS, TSP
ƒ
FBIIC Policies / Processes
‰ Q&A - GETS / WPS
‰ GETS/ WPS Performance During Hurricanes
‰ TSP Sponsorship
060912
2
2
National Communications System (NCS)
National Security / Emergency Preparedness (NS/EP)
Priority Telecommunications
ƒ
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) provides emergency access and priority processing in the local
and long distance segments of the public switched wireline
network. Used in an emergency or crisis situation during which
the probability of completing a call over normal or other
alternate telecommunication means has significantly decreased.
ƒ
Wireless Priority Service (WPS) –sometimes called GETS for
cell phones - provides priority cellular network access.
ƒ
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)- provides service
vendors with a Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
mandate for prioritizing service requests by identifying
those services critical to NS/EP.
060912
3
3
The GETS Calling Card
Calling cards are in widespread
use and easily understood by the
NS/EP User, simplifying GETS
usage
0123 4567 8910
Disaster Response Team #1
GETS priority is invoked
“call-by-call”
US CITY EOC
GETS is a "ubiquitous"
service in the Public
Switched Telephone
Network…if you can get a
DIAL TONE, you can make
a GETS call
060912
4
Cellular Calls: The FUNDAMENTAL Issue: C o n g e s t i on
Congestion,
at one of many points, can block a call !
Local
Exchange
Networks
AT&T
MCI
SPRINT
Local
Exchange
Networks
Mobile
Switch
Mobile
Switch
Government Emergency
Telecommunications Service
addresses wireline congestion
060912
Wireless Priority Service addresses wireless congestion at
call origination
and
call termination 5
5
FBIIC Sponsorship of Priority Telecommunications Access
for Private Sector Entities through the National
Communications System
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS) and
Wireless Priority Service (WPS)
™ July 2002 - FBIIC developed specific sponsorship policies to
ensure that financial institutions could take advantage of
these NCS programs
™ NS / EP Mission - maintain the economic posture during any
national or regional emergency.
™ Significant role in one or more financial markets or essential
services or systems.
™ Sponsorship – through primary federal financial regulator.
™ Feb 2006 - FBIIC members will review with goal of issuing
cards to anyone that might benefit from them.
060912
6
6
Q&A - Sponsorship
¾
If my regulator has declined sponsorship for these programs, is there any
recourse or appeal process? Can I reapply?
¾ When the FBIIC policy was issued, there was a heavy NCS
focus on “National Security” mission. This may have resulted in
some Financial Institutions not applying; or some regulators
turning down requests.
¾ With the increased focus on “Emergency Preparedness” - if you
think you need the services, contact your regulator again.
¾ If you believe you are declined inappropriately, talk with your
FSSCC representative.
060912
7
7
Q&A - Sponsorship
¾
Is there a process for a financial institution that does not qualify otherwise
qualify for GETS/WPS to get temporary GETS/WPS service for a short
period prior to a hurricane?
¾ No. There are broad categories that serve as guidelines for
determining who may qualify as a potential GETS user. Typical
GETS users are responsible for the command and control
functions critical to management of and response to national
security and emergency situations, particularly during the first
24 to 72 hours following an event. Talk with your primary
federal regulator.
¾ But there is some flexibility - During emergencies, NCS and
FEMA work closely with financial regulators to diminish any
negative impacts on the financial sector – including distributing
special GETS cards where needed.
060912
8
8
Q&A – Mechanics
¾
After a firm has received its first set of cards, is the process then
managed solely through the Internet? That is, if I have 50 and want to add
another 50 for my national operations, should I contact the regulator for
guidance or should I handle it electronically?
¾ After your POC (point of contact) is established, the POC will
work directly / electronically with GETS Administration /
Operations.
¾
After initial approval by the regulator, will I only contact the regulator
again if I have run into trouble with the NCS?
¾ Yes. Your regulator is available to help with problems
¾
Do the regulators have data regarding how many cards have been issued,
and to whom, within the financial sector? The regulators are the ones we
would turn to for any help we need, so they may need to have the same
information as the NCS.
¾ Yes. The regulators have access to the reports generated by
NCS.
060912
9
9
GETS Life Cycle
Review / Approval –
Primary Financial
Regulator
Only if needed
to resolve
problems with
NCS
060912
FI POC Established
Key Role For Future
Transactions
NCS GETS Support
10
10
Q&A – Stockpile Cards
¾
There is a stockpile option in GETS. Is the 10% guideline adhered to
strictly? Or can I have a good number of them on hand so I can respond to
disasters wherever they occur?
¾ Stockpile cards are intended as "interim" cards for issue to new
GETS users in your organization, not as "extra" cards for
emergencies. Accordingly, the level of stockpile cards is
proportional to the number of GETS cards active in your
organization and the 10% guideline is generally observed. If an
extraordinary circumstance develops, the POC should discuss it
with GETS.
¾ Are stockpile cards active?
¾ Stockpile cards are active. After issuing a stockpile card to a
new user, the POC should request a permanent card with the
same number for that user.
060912
11
11
Q&A – Emergency Card Supply
¾
A Financial Institution obtained the following information from customer
service at GETS: There is a way to order "generic" (stockpile) GETS cards
which can be distributed at the time of a disaster. It sounds like you can
only have 10% of your existing card base as stockpile; however the GETS rep
indicated that you could give the card number to multiple people during an
event. I don't know whether or not one access number can be used in an
overlapping format and will need to verify.
¾ It's not necessary to order stockpile cards for emergency
purposes. As an accommodation, GETS allows the POC to issue
the same number to multiple individuals - this may be from an
existing permanent card or a stockpile card. Time permitting,
the POC should advise GETS of the action. When issuing the
number to multiple individuals, the POC should keep a log with
the recipient’s information. After the emergency, the POC
should request a permanent / stockpile card to replace the one
used for the emergency and de-activate that card. That is also
an appropriate time for the POC to determine if additional
permanent cards are needed.
060912
12
12
Q&A – Dialing WPS Calls
¾ Do you dial a "1" after the *272 before making a WPS call?
¾ Should work either way – may depend on your phone.
060912
13
13
Q&A – Using GETS / WPS
¾ Can you use GETS and WPS in tandem? If so, how?
¾ WPS users are authorized and encouraged to use GETS to
better their probability of completing their NS/EP call
during periods of wireless and wireline network congestion
¾ *272 -1-710-NCS-GETS (627-4387)
¾ Enter your PIN
¾ Dial your destination number (e.g. 703-818-3924)
¾ without the “1” prefix
060912
14
14
Q&A – First Responders
¾ Do first responders get GETS? Emergency management
officials at the city and state levels?
¾ If so, is there an established route for them to take in
obtaining them? Or would there be any benefit to having
ChicagoFIRST attempt to assist in this regard?
¾ City and State governmental organizations should work
directly with GETS at
¾ Gets.ncs.gov
060912
15
15
Gulf Coast Hurricanes: GETS Performance
¾
¾
¾
¾
40,768 GETS calls originated or terminated in the affected areas during the NS/EP
Events (25 total days over a three month period)
¾
Katrina 32,829, Rita 7,164, and Wilma 775
¾
The areas affected by the hurricanes would normally have generated approximately 600 calls
during the same time period
21,525 GETS calls originated and terminated in areas outside the affected area during
the NS/EP Events for Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma
¾
Katrina 12,000, Rita 6,979, and Wilma 2,546
¾
The areas not affected by the hurricanes generated several hundred GETS calls more then
normal for the same time period
94% of calls in the affected area were successfully routed*
¾
Katrina 95%, Rita 91%, and Wilma 94%
¾
* GETS features (queuing, alternate carrier routing) enabled the calls, in most cases, to be
routed from the originating location through the IXC network to the destination or to the point
where damaged infrastructure was encountered
Most routing failures were caused by damaged end offices, cell sites, or unavailable
trunks
060912
16
16
Gulf Coast Hurricanes: WPS Performance
¾
4,936 WPS calls were attempted during the NS/EP Events (25 total days over a three
month period)
¾
Katrina 3,204, Rita 1,027, and Wilma 705 calls
¾ The areas affected by the hurricanes would normally have generated approximately
100 calls during the same time period
¾
4,702 (95%) were assigned a radio channel
¾
1,704 calls were “answered” at the destination; do not know how many calls went to “busy”
or “ring no answer” treatment
¾ Traditionally “busy” and “ring no answer” calls represent 30% of all successfully routed
GETS calls
¾ Code Red Performance Reports not yet available for wireless carriers
¾
¾
060912
Most
routing failures (estimated to be 37%) were caused by damaged
infrastructure, not congestion
WPS features (queuing) enabled the calls, in most cases, to successfully queue for
a radio channel and be routed through the IXC network to the destination or the
point where damaged infrastructure was encountered
17
17
FBIIC Sponsorship of Priority Telecommunications Access
for Private Sector Entities through the National
Communications System
Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) Program
™ NS / EP Mission - maintain the economic posture during
any national or regional emergency.
™ Policy builds upon and extends the TSP sponsorship
policies established by the FRB to explicitly encompass a
broader group of eligible telecommunications circuits.
™ Sponsorship – primary regulators contact appropriate
financial organizations; or organizations may request
sponsorship through primary regulator.
060912
18
18
To Learn More …
9 NCS Homepage - http://www.ncs.gov/index.html
9 GETS Homepage - http://gets.ncs.gov
9 WPS Homepage - http://wps.ncs.gov
9 TSP Homepage - http://tsp.ncs.gov/
060912
19
19