2004

WIRELESS PRIORITY SERVICE (WPS) now available in Canada

By Barry Kram

Rogers Wireless is the first service provider to respond to Industry Canada’s call for the wireless telecomm industry to provide this feature in support of emergency response agencies dealing with disasters.

Background
Increased mobile phone usage by the general public in emergency situations can result in extreme network congestion, preventing Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness (PSEP) personnel from obtaining network access.

In emergency situations where wireline networks become damaged or congested, mobile telephones often provide the primary means of communication. PSEP telecommunications are critical in the event of natural or manmade disasters that threaten the security of Canadians. To facilitate the completion of critical calls during these high usage events, WPS allows authorized PSEP personnel to gain access to the next available wireless radio channel while minimizing impact on consumer access to the same wireless infrastructure.

Highlights
WPS is not intended for use by all emergency personnel and will only be authorized for key PSEP leadership positions. Eligible users are key Federal, Provincial, Territorial and Municipal government and critical industry personnel who have PSEP or continuity of government responsibilities. Priority levels have also been established for each function. This service, using GSM technology, is presently being offered by Rogers Wireless within their coverage area across Canada. Additional carriers may also offer a similar priority service in the future.

Application process overview
Initially the PSEP user determines the need for and requests the priority service from his/her Group/Contact manager or the National WPS Manager. The request for such priority service must be submitted through the Industry Canada Emergency Telecomm Data System (ETDS) website and will be approved by a Federal Approval Authority for employees under federal jurisdiction and a Provincial Approval Authority for employees under provincial, territorial and municipal jurisdiction, and Non Government Organizations. The approval will then be provided to Rogers Wireless service who will add the priority service feature to the requested mobile phone. PNR Spectrum Emergency Telecom Officers are working to establish agreements with Provincial Approval Authorities in each province.