Industry Canada Emergency Telecommunications - High Probability of Completion (HPC)

High Probability of Completion (HPC) is a technology Industry Canada is investigating that would enhance the Emergency Telecommunication Service (ETS) currently in place in Canada. HPC would complement the existing Priority Access for Dialing (PAD) in times of emergency. It is intended for extremely stressed network situations, such as natural or man-made disasters, when normal network management tools may not be able to handle the high volume of traffic or when the demand exceeds network capacity, and when essential emergency response communications are crucial.

While PAD provides dial tone to designated essential lines on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), there is no methodology in place today that would extend the priority beyond the local switch. In response to this ETS gap in the current priority access system, Industry Canada is studying ways of making an essential user's call identifiable as a priority from the instant it leaves the local switch to the moment it reaches its destination. HPC would not guarantee the completion of a call, but would rather increase its probability of completion.

Whereas PAD allows priority to the dial tone, HPC would allow priority call set-up, queuing scheme, as well as priority during periods of restrictive network management controls

With PAD and HPC implemented in the Canadian telephone network, Canada would have a complete Emergency Telecommunications Service which would meet the four essential features of an International Emergency Preference Scheme (IEPS) as recommend by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) in ITU E.106.

Should you wish to obtain additional information, please contact Carole Diotte by e-mail or telephone at (613) 990-5752. The following documents on HPC are also available for download:

• Canadian Emergency Telecommunication Service HPC Feasibility Study - Presentation


• Canadian Emergency Telecommunication Service HPC Feasibility Study - Report

See also:

• Programs - Priority Access for Dialing (PAD)


• Reference Documents - Priority Access


• United States Government Emergency Telecommunications Service (GETS)