If you suddenly cannot send emails (they sit in your outbox forever) then change your SMTP outgoing service port to 2500 instead of 25. Microsoft has issued an automatic update to their security systems on Windows which is causing this problem with some email clients. If you are having other difficulties with your emails, please go to Members page, log in to your Tove Valley account, go to 'My eMails' and visit 'eMail instructions'
If you do not find answers to your questions on our web site, please use our Contact Us form.
What is broadband and superfast broadband?
Broadband is a term used to describe an "always on" connection to the internet. The minimum speed for Broadband is generally considered to be a download speed of at least 512Kbps. Currently, speeds over BT lines in the upper Tove Valley are around 0.5 to 2.0Mbps, using the highest service obtainable via ADSL. These speeds are only just capable of handling iPlayer and Skype and if others are using the internet, it soon shows up as the dreaded "buffering" or "loading" sign.
Superfast broadband is defined by the EU as a service which can deliver download speeds of at least 30Mbps. The Tove Valley Broadband has two connections into the internet running at 10000Mbps symmetrical - that is, download and upload, and 1000Mbps. We have two independent internet connections so that if one fails, the other one can take up the slack for a while. If you get TVB service via radio, you should get better than 30Mbps download and upload depending upon the distance of your radio link. If you get your service via fibre-optic lines, then you should get better than 500Mbps - if fact up to 1,000Mbps. Of course these speeds depend upon your own equipment which will have to be pretty modern to take advantage.
I have an existing service with (BT, AOL, Orange, TalkTalk, etc.) What do I do?
If you want to join the Tove Valley system (you get better speeds and there is a local support network available) you should first look at the contract you have with your broadband supplier and arrange to change or cancel that contract. You will need to wait until the minimum period of the contract has expired. If you have an inclusive service (telephone calls with broadband), you should investigate carefully how you can cancel the broadband part of the deal.
What about my telephone line?
You will not use your telephone line for the broadband connection. Our members pick up the connection via the wireless network or with a direct fibre-optic cable. We have nothing to do with BT or any other telephone service provider. Indeed, you can subscribe to a voice-over-IP (VOIP) telephone service using your broadband connection and dispense with your BT landline if you wish. See below.
Can I use the internet as a telephone service?
There is an opportunity to use VOIP - voice over IP - which is brilliantly explained at http://www.moneysupermarket.com/broadband/voip/ and a more technical description at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voice_over_IP VOIP implies that your telephone calls are made through the internet much more cheaply than a land-based service, but you must retain the capability of making emergency calls with a mobile phone. Vonage, VoipFone, SipGate, and many others provide domestic VOIP services and there are plenty of options such as recording all calls, call forwarding, SMS, mobile phone Apps, etc. You can usually transfer your existing phone number to the voip service and with a mobile App such as Zoiper you can use your mobile as your VOIP handset anywhere in the world if you have internet access. There is a library document here which explains VOIP from the perspective of Tove Valley Broadband. Phone calls between any locations in the world using the same service are usually free - others are between 1.0p/min and 2.0p/min. Skype can be used in this way too, but watch the extra charges! You should also check out other mobile-compatible services such as Viber and WhatsApp.
Will I still be able to use my existing e-mail address?
Probably. If you use web-based e-mail (ie Hotmail or Gmail) there will certainly be no problem. If your email address is tied into your current broadband provider, e.g. btinternet.com, then you may or may not be able to use it after you cancel. Some ISP’s require you to access your mail via their own service – you should check this with your ISP. If you have any doubts or questions, try the on-line help for your ISP or talk to us and we will help you. However, we can give you a couple of new e-mail addresses (see below). Changing your default email account to a new one can still overlap your old one for a transitionary period. We find that in 6 months, the old email address is forgotten.
But my e-mail address is part of my existing deal with my dial-up ISP.
If your ISP does not provide the e-mail facility free of charge, and you don't wish to change the address, then you would need to continue the subscription. In our experience, if you got a new eMail address (we can give these) it takes about 6 months to - fairly automatically - get to a point where you can cancel your old address.
Will there be a new e-mail addresses available to use?
Yes. You can choose one or two from
We have a non-geographic name as well (obviously not published here) for those who require not to be associated with our locality - e.g. children and businesses.
Is Webmail available with TVB email addresses?
Yes. You can view and send emails from anywhere in the world you can get an internet connection. The universal link to webmail for any of our email addresses is www.tovevalley.net/webmail You can get a description and instructions for webmail here.
Will there be any additional costs to connect?
Yes. We have a one-off membership charge of £100 and a connection equipment charge of £90 which covers the cost of the hardware required to connect your PC to the network. If you want or need more than the minimum (eg to install your own wireless network or to connect more than one PC) there will be an additional equipment to buy. If you want to discuss FTTP - Fibre-to-the-Premise - which delivers 1,000Mbps symetrical, please contact us.
What restrictions will there be on my usage of the internet?
Absolutely none. You can use your connection for as long as you want, at any time of the day or night. There are no limits on the amount of data that you can transmit or receive (although reasonable use guidelines apply - see T&Cs)
What exactly is the speed of the radio connection?
The speed should be better than 30Mbps. Where there is a long radio link from you to the nearest access point, speeds may be slower. The speed for a link longer than 2.5km may be lower but we have not experienced speeds below 10Mbps. A higher speed may be available at extra cost (please contact us for details). If you want to do a speed test on your PC, use www.broadbandperformance.co.uk (UK servers) or http://speedtest.att.com/speedtest/ (USA servers) - other common speed checkers are not optimised for superfast speeds. If you want to discuss FTTP - Fibre-to-the-Premise - which delivers 1,000Mbps symetrical, please contact us.
Why are upload and download speeds different?
Most Broadband provision is "asymmetric". The bandwidth available from the provider is optimised for download because that is what most people are using the connection for most of the time. Tove Valley Broadband service is "symetrical" - you will be able to upload as fast as you can download.
There are lots of concerns about mobile phone masts. Isn’t the wireless network the same?
No. Mobile phones use a much higher power than the Tove Valley network. The equipment we use has a comparatively short range. Indeed the signals from our equipment being used outside are very similar to those that many people use inside their own homes with a personal access point or router (eg BT Home Hub). According to the World Health Organization, RF exposures from routers range from 0.002 percent to 2 percent of those in the international levels of exposure guidelines. The WHO says this is lower than RF exposures from radio or TVs, and adds that the body absorbs up to five times more of the signal from FM radio and television. The organization also notes that radio and TV broadcast stations have been in operation for more than 50 years without adverse health consequences. And the WHO dismissed another common concern—that RF rays can increase body temperature—by noting that temperature increases are so insignificant that they cannot affect human health.
If the network is wireless, won’t anyone just be able to access the connection?
No. There is authentication for those who have registered with us. Unauthorised access will be rejected.
Does the system run encryption on the wireless network?
Yes.
If my computer is always connected to the internet, won’t that allow people to hack in and cause trouble?
We have a firewall on our gateways that prevents any unauthorised access from the internet into our network. Premises are doubly protected becasue the CPE radio devices we supply are also gateways and not even anyone within our network can access equipment in your home. You would only need a firewall if you did not trust individuals within your member network. You should however still maintain a robust anti-virus system.
I sometimes use my computer to send and receive faxes - how will this be affected?
You will still need your modem and a connection to the telephone line for faxes. However, there are on-line services available where faxes are sent and received to and from your e-mail. This may be worth considering if you use faxes a lot.
What happens if everyone wants to use the connection at the same time?
The connection to the internet is shared between all users. In practice we expect our bandwidth to be sufficient to cater for everyone's use. Our main internet connection's bandwidth is 10,000Mbps symetrical (i.e. download and upload) and is used only to 20% of capacity even at peak times.
If I have more than one PC will I need, say, two subscriptions?
No. One membership covers a single household. You can connect as many devices (PC's, phones, tablets, etc) as you want.
Can I get fibre to my premises?
We are obliged to be able to provide FTTP (fibre-to-the-premises) within the RCBF/DEFRA funded area bounded by the villages of Weston, Lois Weedon, Wappenham, Slapton, Abthorpe and Bradden and the infrastructure will carry this service. To get FTTP we have to run fibre cables from a Point-of-Presence on the fibre network to your premises. You will have to bear the cost of this and guidelines are available in the Library. It might be good to contact us to discuss your options as there are grants available to SMEs.
What are the complaint procedures?
In the first instance you should contact us via this link or ring the helpline - number was provided as part of our installation process. To discuss your complaint further, email Keith (Director, services) or the Team.