United Telecom Council cautioned Thurs. that priority access serv...
United Telecom Council cautioned Thurs. that priority access service (PAS) contract awarded by National Communications System to T-Mobile USA this week “will be largely useless” in aiding communications in crises. “Power industry personnel and traditional public safety agencies need…
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communications most when power is out, and thus, commercial wireless systems are down,” UTC Pres. Bill Moroney said: “Priority doesn’t mean a thing if the system isn’t working.” T-Mobile won contract to be first carrier for PAS, with initial nationwide capability in 15 cities, including N.Y. and Washington (CD Jan 22 p5). System is designed to give priority on wireless networks to national security and first responders in emergencies, without bumping existing users off system. While system will give access to cell sites to first responders in emergencies, UTC said its members were increasingly troubled by “federal officials’ apparent reliance on commercial wireless to meet noncommercial emergency needs.” Prioritized access on commercial wireless systems isn’t “appropriate” to meet emergency needs of critical infrastructure providers and “public safety agencies shouldn’t consider it an answer either,” UTC Vp-Gen. Counsel Jill Lyon said.