MTPAS
Encyclopedia
MTPAS is a British procedure for prioritising access to the mobile telephone networks for privileged persons (members of emergency services as designated at a local level). It replaced ACCOLC
in 2009.
MTPAS is only available to Category 1 and 2 Responders (as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004
) and partner organisations which directly support them at the scene of an emergency incident. Using an agreed protocol, the Police Gold Commander, in charge of the response to a major incident, notifies all network operators that a major incident has been declared and activation is then their responsibility.
As of 2009, all two-way pagers from PageOne Communications that are in use by Category 1 and 2 responders are enabled for use with the MTPAS.
As a result of the incident, mobile telecommunications networks may experience an abnormally high concentration of calls. If networks become congested, handsets installed with a privileged access SIM will stand a much higher likelihood of being able to connect to their network and make calls than other customers.
The MTPAS access class may be indicated on the SIM card
or in protected storage on the handset itself, by a set of numbers in the range 0 - 15 giving a total of 16 flag bits in the Global action message. It is not hierarchical so it can allow level 1 access while disallowing level 6 access. If the 16 bit control word is, 1010-0000-0011-1111 only phones with the MTPAS access level of 1, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 will accept request for placing a call. It is important to note that the decision whether to permit a call is not made by the cellular network but by the handset itself.
In Britain, ordinary cellphone users have numbers in the range 0 - 9. Higher priority users are allocated numbers 12-14. During an emergency, some or all access classes in the range 0 - 9 are disabled. If the overload condition continues, mobiles with access classes level 10, 11, then 12 and so on may also be disabled by the cellular network operator. In the United States Verizon Wireless uses access classes 0-1 for emergency as well as Government-privileged use.
As MTPAS would be a frustration to normal network users in case of network overload, in Britain it is normally only initiated after careful consideration. The authority of a British Police "Gold" is required (major incident control is named in three tiers in the UK, gold, silver and bronze
, in accordance with the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel
, a group responsible for creating best-agreed procedures for dealing with various emergency situations) after consideration with the co-ordinating group. The Police Gold Commander will speak to dedicated staff at the mobile network operator
, and this will be followed up by a specially designed fax message, in accordance with the Home Office document "Process for the Management of the Mobile Telecommunications Privileged Access Scheme (MTPAS)".
The Police Gold Commander's pro-forma fax reads: "This message serves to advise you that a Strategic Command Group (SCG) is being established in response to a major incident in the UK. As a result of the incident, your network may experience an abnormally high concentration of calls. If your network becomes congested, your assistance is requested to provide customers with SIMs allocated to classes 12, 13 and 14 a much higher likelihood of being able to make calls than customers allocated to other classes.", and gives space for the police to identify the geographic location of the incident.
Not all calling by regular mobiles is prevented. Calls to an emergency services number (911
, 112
, 999
) will ignore all MTPAS or global action messages.
ACCOLC
ACCOLC was a procedure in the United Kingdom for restricting mobile telephone usage in the event of emergencies...
in 2009.
MTPAS is only available to Category 1 and 2 Responders (as defined in the Civil Contingencies Act 2004
Civil Contingencies Act 2004
The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that establishes a coherent framework for emergency planning and response ranging from local to national level...
) and partner organisations which directly support them at the scene of an emergency incident. Using an agreed protocol, the Police Gold Commander, in charge of the response to a major incident, notifies all network operators that a major incident has been declared and activation is then their responsibility.
As of 2009, all two-way pagers from PageOne Communications that are in use by Category 1 and 2 responders are enabled for use with the MTPAS.
As a result of the incident, mobile telecommunications networks may experience an abnormally high concentration of calls. If networks become congested, handsets installed with a privileged access SIM will stand a much higher likelihood of being able to connect to their network and make calls than other customers.
How it works
Mobile telephones work on a cell basis. In the United Kingdom for example, the cells adjacent to the incident are identified and MTPAS is implemented on those cells alone. MTPAS-aware telephones are allowed access to the network and all other users will receive a fast beep (called a fast busy signal). Once the call is connected to the network it is routed like any other. If the user receives a recording that all lines are busy or engaged tone then MTPAS is not being utilised.The MTPAS access class may be indicated on the SIM card
Subscriber Identity Module
A subscriber identity module or subscriber identification module is an integrated circuit that securely stores the International Mobile Subscriber Identity and the related key used to identify and authenticate subscriber on mobile telephony devices .A SIM is held on a removable SIM card, which...
or in protected storage on the handset itself, by a set of numbers in the range 0 - 15 giving a total of 16 flag bits in the Global action message. It is not hierarchical so it can allow level 1 access while disallowing level 6 access. If the 16 bit control word is, 1010-0000-0011-1111 only phones with the MTPAS access level of 1, 3, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16 will accept request for placing a call. It is important to note that the decision whether to permit a call is not made by the cellular network but by the handset itself.
In Britain, ordinary cellphone users have numbers in the range 0 - 9. Higher priority users are allocated numbers 12-14. During an emergency, some or all access classes in the range 0 - 9 are disabled. If the overload condition continues, mobiles with access classes level 10, 11, then 12 and so on may also be disabled by the cellular network operator. In the United States Verizon Wireless uses access classes 0-1 for emergency as well as Government-privileged use.
As MTPAS would be a frustration to normal network users in case of network overload, in Britain it is normally only initiated after careful consideration. The authority of a British Police "Gold" is required (major incident control is named in three tiers in the UK, gold, silver and bronze
Gold Silver Bronze command structure
A gold–silver–bronze command structure is used by emergency services of the United Kingdom to establish a hierarchical framework for the command and control of major incidents and disasters...
, in accordance with the London Emergency Services Liaison Panel
London Emergency Services Liaison Panel
The London Emergency Services Liaison Panel consists of representatives from the following agencies:*Metropolitan Police Service*London Fire Brigade*City of London Police*British Transport Police*London Ambulance Service...
, a group responsible for creating best-agreed procedures for dealing with various emergency situations) after consideration with the co-ordinating group. The Police Gold Commander will speak to dedicated staff at the mobile network operator
Mobile network operator
A mobile network operator , also known as mobile phone operator , carrier service provider , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, or cellular company, or mobile network carrier is a telephone company that provides services for mobile phone subscribers.One essential...
, and this will be followed up by a specially designed fax message, in accordance with the Home Office document "Process for the Management of the Mobile Telecommunications Privileged Access Scheme (MTPAS)".
The Police Gold Commander's pro-forma fax reads: "This message serves to advise you that a Strategic Command Group (SCG) is being established in response to a major incident in the UK. As a result of the incident, your network may experience an abnormally high concentration of calls. If your network becomes congested, your assistance is requested to provide customers with SIMs allocated to classes 12, 13 and 14 a much higher likelihood of being able to make calls than customers allocated to other classes.", and gives space for the police to identify the geographic location of the incident.
Not all calling by regular mobiles is prevented. Calls to an emergency services number (911
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
, 112
1-1-2
112 is the principal emergency telephone number that can be dialed free of charge from any telephone or any mobile phone in order to reach emergency services in the European Union , its candidates for accession, members of the EEA agreement, as well as several other countries in the world...
, 999
999 (emergency telephone number)
999 is an official emergency telephone number in a number of countries which allows the caller to contact emergency services for urgent assistance....
) will ignore all MTPAS or global action messages.