Scope of TSP Program

End-to-end priority treatment
Where possible, service users and vendors should seek to ensure that NS/EP telecommunications service receives priority treatment across its entire length. However, certain considerations may affect whether this will be possible. (read more)

What is a telecommunications service? Telecommunications services are the transmission, emission, or reception of intelligence of any nature, by wire, cable, satellite, fiber optics, laser, radio visual or other electronic, electric, electromagnetic, or acoustically coupled means, or any combination thereof.

Types of Services Covered by TSP

The TSP Program rules, as specified in the TSP Report and Order (FCC 88-341), authorize priority treatment to the following telecommunications services:

Domestic NS/EP Services:

• Common carrier services that are interstate and foreign telecommunications services
• Common carrier services that are intrastate telecommunications services inseparable from interstate or foreign telecommunications services, including intrastate telecommunications services to which TSP priority levels are assigned
• Services that are provided by government and noncommon carriers and are interconnected to common carrier services assigned TSP priority levels.

Other Services: In addition, priority treatment may be authorized at the discretion of, and upon special arrangements by, the NS/EP TSP Program users involved, to the following telecommunications services:

• Government or noncommon carrier services that are not connected to common carrier provided services assigned a priority level
• Portions of U.S. international services that are provided by foreign correspondents. (U.S. telecommunications service vendors are encouraged to ensure that relevant operating arrangements are consistent to the maximum extent practicable with the TSP Program. If such arrangements do not exist, U.S. telecommunications service vendors should handle service provisioning and restoration in accordance with any system acceptable to their foreign correspondents that comes closest to meeting the procedures established in the FCC's TSP Program rules.)

Exempt Control Services And Orderwires

Control services or orderwires that a service provider wholly owns and needs for provisioning, restoration, or maintenance of other services are exempt from the FCC's TSP Program rules. Such control services and orderwires shall have priority of provisioning and restoration over all other telecommunications services (including TSP services) and are exempt from preemption. In other words, any service vendor owning a service that serves as a control service or orderwire critical to the integrity of that service vendor's own network may provide that service the highest priority for provisioning and restoration even before services with TSP assignments, and does not to request a TSP assignment from the TSP Program Office.

Nonexempt Control Services and Orderwires

Control services and orderwires used by one service vendor, but leased from another service vendor, are not exempt from the TSP Program rules. In other words, such services will not receive priority treatment by the service vendor providing the service unless it has a TSP assignment. The telecommunications service vendor that is leasing the control service or orderwire may request a TSP assignment.

Requesting a TSP Assignment for Other Service Vendor NS/EP Requirements

A service vendor may also request a TSP assignment for a provisioning and restoration priority for any other service (not used as a control service or orderwire) that fulfills an NS/EP requirement and qualifies under the TSP Program. For such requirements, the service vendor should contact the TSP Program Office for assistance.

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