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 NEWS  News  media  Information  202  /  418-  0500  TTY  202  /  418-  2555  Fax-  On-  Demand  202  /  418-  2830  Internet:  http://  www.  fcc.  gov  ftp.  fcc.  gov  Federal  Communications  Commission  445  12  th  Street,  S.  W.  Washington,  D.  C.  20554  This  is  an  unofficial  announcement  of  Commission  action.  Release  of  the  full  text  of  a  Commission  order  constitutes  official  action.  See  MCI  v.  FCC.  515  F  2d  385  (D.  C.  Circ  1974).  FOR  IMMEDIATE  RELEASE:  NEWS  MEDIA  CONTACT: 
 June  13,  2002  Michael  Balmoris  202-  418-  0253 
 FCC  AND  NCS  HIGHLIGHT  TELECOMMUNICATIONS  SERVICE  PRIORITY  PROGRAM 
 Program  Ensures  Critical  Telecommunications  Services  during  National  Security  Emergencies  and  Natural  Disasters 
 Washington,  D.  C.  –  Today,  the  staff  from  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  (FCC)  and  the  National  Communications  System  (NCS)  made  presentations  describing  the 
 Telecommunications  Service  Priority  Program  (TSP).  The  TSP  Program,  in  place  since  1988,  was  developed  to  ensure  that  telecommunications  services  that  are  critical  to  the  nation’s  security 
 and  emergency  preparedness  missions  are  given  priority  over  other,  less  critical  users.  The  program  is  aimed  at  telecommunications  service  users,  whether  they  are  federal,  state,  or  local 
 government  or  private  industry  –  so  long  as  they  provide  services  critical  to  the  national  security  or  emergency  preparedness  capabilities. 


 The  NCS  provides  assistance  to  the  President  and  the  National  Security  Council  on  national  security  and  emergency  communications  matters.  It  represents  22  federal  departments 
 and  agencies,  including  the  FCC.  It  administers  a  number  of  programs  that  are  critical  to  the  nation’s  defense  and  emergency  telecommunications  capabilities,  including  the  TSP  program, 
 which  is  managed  in  accordance  with  rules  established  by  the  FCC.  The  FCC  also  provides  oversight  and  enforcement  of  the  TSP  program  and  resolves  appeals. 


 With  the  events  of  last  September,  the  importance  of  the  TSP  program  has  become  clearer.  With  the  physical  damage  to  the  telecommunications  infrastructure  in  the  most 
 concentrated  business  center  in  the  world,  the  challenges  faced  by  telecommunications  carriers  were  monumental.  The  TSP  program  brought  structure  to  the  process  and  was  instrumental  in 
 allowing  the  refurbishment  of  the  facilities  and  restoration  of  essential  services  to  proceed  in  the  most  expeditious  manner. 


 The  limits  of  the  program  were  also  tested  by  the  events  of  this  past  September.  Specifically,  the  need  for  more  robust  participation  by  state  and  local  governments  and  key 
 industries  became  more  apparent.  While  the  NCS  has  an  excellent  outreach  program  with  its  federal  member  agencies,  it  does  not  have  an  extensive  outreach  program  for  state  and  local 
 governments.  We  are  developing  plans  to  inform  key  telecommunications  decision-  makers  about  the  program.  For  example,  we  are  discussing  the  possibility  of  joint  FCC/  NCS  TSP 
 presentations  at  future  NARUC  conferences. 
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 Office  of  Engineering  and  Technology  Contact:  Ken  Moran  202-  418-  2470  Wireline  Competition  Bureau  Staff  Contact:  Scott  Bergmann  at  202-  418-  1500 


 News  about  the  Federal  Communications  Commission  can  also  be  found  on  the  Commission’s  web  site  www.  fcc.  gov. 
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