World Meteorological Organization

GTS Focal Point. GTS focal points are nominated by the Permanent Representatives of Member countries of WMO that are connected to the GTS. These focal points provide the operational channel of communication with the WMO Secretariat, RTH and GTS focal points. The terms of reference of the focal points are:(a) Act as a focal point on all GTS matters within the centre and with its national users;(b) Manage authorization of reception or transmission of information using the GTS;(c) Manage subscriptions and access to GTS traffic ensuring compliance with data access and usage policy;(d) Oversee the creation and management of GTS headers for data and products from the centre;(e) Ensure data and products published to the GTS from their centre have appropriate WIS discovery metadata already uploaded to the principal GISC;(f) Coordinate GTS traffic with the RTH(s) to which the centre is attached and the exchange of information through the GTS for national centres;(g) Arrange for exchange of information between the GTS and national users, including WIS centres;(h) Ensure issues relating to the GTS and World Weather Watch monitoring are directed to the relevant person and followed-up on;(i) Monitor, report on and participate in the overall maintenance of the GTS including contributions to CBS expert teams addressing data management and data representation as well as network issues;(j) Assist staff and users of the centre in matters relating to the GTS, including compliance and functional issues;(k) Identify and follow-up on training and capacity development needs;(l) Where a centre operates an RTH, the GTS focal point will also undertake the role of the RTH Focal Point to:(l1) Arrange for the attached GTS centres to initiate, modify and terminate data flows on the GTS, including negotiation of relevant GTS headers, provision of required notices and maintaining operational information held by WMO on the information within the area of responsibility of the RTH;(l2) Monitor and report on the status of RTH operations;(l3) Coordinate the flow of GTS traffic flowing through the RTH, including supporting GISC subscriptions;(l4) Work with the Centre focal points for WIS matters, to ensure that GTS traffic from the attached centres has appropriate WIS Discovery Metadata records.