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Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP)

What is TSP?

TSP is an FCC program that directs telecommunications service providers (e.g., wireline and wireless phone companies) to give preferential treatment to users enrolled in the program when they need to add new lines or have their lines restored following a disruption of service, regardless of the cause. The FCC sets the rules and policies for the TSP program; the National Communications System, a part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, manages the TSP program. The TSP program is in effect all the time--it is not contingent on a major disaster or attack taking place. Federal sponsorship is required to enroll in the TSP program.

TSP Informational Video

Who Should Enroll?

You should enroll if your organization is a Federal, state, local, and tribal police department, fire department, public safety answering point or 9-1-1 call center, EMS entity, essential healthcare provider or any other organization that uses telecommunication services necessary for the public health, safety, and maintenance of law and order.

Enrollment Guides

Why Should I Sign Up?

If you rely on telecommunications services on a daily basis to perform critical national security and emergency preparedness functions, including those areas related to safety, maintenance of law and order, and public health, you need TSP. It is an insurance policy of sorts: by enrolling your critical communication lines in the program, by law (FCC regulations), your telecommunication service provider must restore your lines or add new lines according your priority status level. Your telecommunications service provider must take these actions before it can service any of its non-TSP enrolled customers.

This program can be extremely beneficial during a major disaster or attack in which the telecommunications infrastructure is damaged and the lives and property of the American public is most at risk. In such circumstances, telecommunications service providers' restoration crews are often overextended and only those customers enrolled in the TSP program will have their communications services restored in a timely manner.

There are five TSP priority levels. Federal, state, tribal, and local police departments, fire departments, EMS units, and similar entities qualify for Level 3 under communication services necessary for the public health, safety, and maintenance of law and order. The higher priority levels, Levels 1 and 2, include National Security leadership and certain military communications lines. Very few circuits receive a TSP priority Level 1 or Level 2 assignment. If an organization does not enroll its circuits in the TSP program, its telecommunications service provider cannot restore those lines until it has restored all TSP lines in priority levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

How Do I Enroll?

You can enroll if you do not represent a Federal entity. You will need a Federal sponsor to enroll. Contact the FCC or NCS to determine your Federal sponsor. For more detail, see the enrollment guides below.

In your application, you will need to designate those lines meeting national security and emergency preparedness requirements. If your lines qualify, you will receive an authorization code for each line. You then provide those codes to your telecommunications service provider who will complete the process.

Type of Applicant	Sponsor
9-1-1 Call Centers/PSAPs	Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Kenneth Burnley phone: 202-418-0664 mobile: 202-907-4298 email: Kenneth.Burnley@fcc.gov Allan K. Manuel phone: 202-418-1164 mobile: 202-391-5331 email: Allan.Manuel@fcc.gov
First Responders	National Communications System (NCS) U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) TSP Program Office phone: 866-NCS-CALL (627-2255) phone (DC Metro Area): 703-760-2255 phone (24/7): 703-235-5080 email: tsp@dhs.gov web: http://tsp.ncs.gov
Health Care Sector	U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Mr. Murad Raheem Branch Chief, Electronics and Communications Office of Asst. Sec. for Preparedness and Response phone: 202-260-5643 email: Murad.Raheem@hhs.gov
State, Local, and Tribal Governments	Contact NCS (see above)
All Others	Contact FCC or NCS (see above)

What Does It Cost?

Enrollment and monthly fees for the TSP program are generally set at the state level by public utility or public service commissions. Typically, one-time per line enrollment fees are approximately $100, and monthly fees per line average $3. Compare those minimal costs to the inability to communicate during a crisis or losses that you would suffer if your critical lines were out of service and you had to wait on your telecommunication service provider to take care of all TSP lines first before it could service its general waiting list of customers.

TSP FAQS and Enrollment Guides

Broadcasters	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Emergency Operation Centers	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
First Responders	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Financial Institutions	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Healthcare Providers	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
9-1-1 Call Centers/PSAPs	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Public Utility Commissions	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Satellite Service Providers	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
State, Local and Tribal Governments	FAQ	Enrollment Guide
Wireless Service Providers	FAQ	Enrollment Guide