Cristin Flynn Goodwin Director, Homeland Security

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Cristin Flynn GoodwinDirector, Homeland
Security Strategic PolicyFebruary 17, 2005
Telecommunications Service Priority
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Service Provider Perspectives on TSP

• Whats In It For Me?
• Service Provider Actions
• A Technicians View
• Provider to Provider Communications
• What TSP Is Not
• Future Issues and Goals

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Whats In It For Me?

• Core Component of Business Continuity Plans
• Ensures priority restoration of critical circuits
• Prioritizes installation for new circuits (i.e.,
  backup facilities, alternate facilities)
• When it cant afford to wait
• Wait times for non-TSP circuits in NYC following
  9/11 were upwards of 2 months
• Eliminate weeks of wait following large natural
  disasters
• Applies to circuits and services
• Works for voice, data, whatever is needed

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Service Provider Actions

• Customer provides purchase order with TSP code to
  Account Manager
• Information enters BellSouth system
• TSPs are handled before other orders are
  processed
• TSP Program Manager and Account Representative
  follow order process
• Customer accepts order, item closed

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How Technicians Know To React
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Provider to Provider Coordination

• In most cases, more than 1 service provider
  involved
• Primary vendor, sub-contractor
• All large Service Providers have 24hr. Points of
  contact to resolve TSP issues as they arise
• Policy issues addressed at TSP Oversight
  Committee
• Involves Office of Priority Telecom, FCC, NCS
• All major Service Providers
• Long history of cooperation and coordination to
  serve national security and emergency
  preparedness issues

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What TSP Is Not
TSP is only designed to provide priority
provisioning or restoration of a circuit

• TSP is not available after a crisis has started
• TSP is not a rush for regular service orders
• TSP is not a guarantee that service is never
  impacted
• TSP is not a substitute for good business
  continuity planning its a component of the
  plan

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Future Issues and Goals

• Increase awareness on importance of TSP
• Educate customers to provide purchase orders to
  account representatives
• Develop process to review TSP code grants with
  FCC, NCS, OPT
• Develop process to appeal denial of TSP codes on
  behalf of customers
• Develop processes to enhance government to
  industry database interaction