LeverettNet
FAQs specific to Leverett, Massachusetts municipal fiber network.
Several of our customers have been victimized by fraudulent long-distance calling activity to 19 telephone exchanges in Iowa and South Dakota. These exchanges are often associated with free conference calling services, chat rooms, and similar services.
Attackers frequently compromise customer telephone systems and place long distance calls worth tens of thousands of dollars to these exchanges. In an effort to prevent victimization of our customers, OTELCO has blocked access to these exchanges by default.
If you are attempting to access a free conference calling service, we encourage you to choose an alternative service with a conference call number outside the 712, 515, 605 and 641 area codes. OTELCO will provide an alternative conference bridge free of charge on request.
LeverettNet.net is the domain name of the fiber-optic broadband network serving residents and businesses in the Town of Leverett, Massachusetts.
Simple answer: Yes!
As long as the number is actively in service with another provider OTELCO can move (port) the number to the Leverettnet network.
Dos and Don’ts:
DON’T cancel anything with your current provider. (If you cancel before activating with Leverettnet, you’ll lose your phone number)
DO contact OTELCO to request the change.
DO check out this diagram as you may need to make changes, and it may require you to hire an electrician.
When you call:
Our Customer Care staff will work with you to set up your Leverettnet services.
What you’ll need for the call:
Information about your current telephone account including:
- Name of current provider
- Phone number to be moved
- Current account number
- Account holder name
- Account holder full address
- Account holder last 4 digits of Social Security#
ADDITIONALLY, for Verizon Wireless, the PIN # on the account.
What’s next:
We will send you a “Letter of Agency” form that you’ll need to sign and return. (This gives OTELCO authority to make the request to move your number.)
Once the Letter of Agency is returned to OTELCO, we will submit a request with number your current carrier to move the phone number.
How long does it take:
Once the request is made to your current provider, it can take between 3 and 5 business days for the switch to take effect. We will notify you of the exact date.
On the specified date OTELCO will activate the number in the Leverettnet system and make a test call to ensure that it’s operating properly.
One more thing:
Although this process cancels your phone service with your other provider without further action from you, IT DOES NOT CANCEL any other services with that provider. If you have other services with that provider like that you no longer need or want,, you will need to call them to request those cancellations after your new Leverettnet service is installed and operating properly.
Leverett Municipal Light Plant, the custodian of LeverettNet. Click here more information.
The MLP is a municipal entity under Massachusetts law, established to provide utilities (gas, electricity, telecommunications) to residents and businesses. MLP budget and administration is separate and distinct from the general town budget and administration (similar to an enterprise fund).
The Network Operator is an entity that monitors the performance of the network and takes corrective action in the event the network is not functioning properly. Holyoke Gas & Electric Telecom Division is the NO for LeverettNet.
The Town of Leverett owns the network.
The ISP is an entity that provides Internet service over the network. OTELCO is the ISP for LeverettNet.
Internet service with 1Gps (one gigabit per second) symmetrical (upload and download) access to the 2Gbps (two gigabits per second) “middle-mile,” with no data cap. Includes up to 5 email boxes.
Telephone service with unlimited calling to the contiguous 48 states, Canada, Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, US Virgin Islands, Guam, and N. Mariana Islands.
Calls outside the unlimited area will be billed at posted international rates.
Calling features include call waiting, caller ID, caller name ID, voicemail (optional feature in QDS bundle), call forwarding fixed, call forwarding busy, do not answer, and call forwarding, caller ID blocking and unblocking, call return, flash hold, last number redial, three way calling, and international block
| Standard Calling Features | |
| Call Waiting | *43 turn on / #43 turn off |
| Call Forwarding (CF) | *72 turn on / *73 turn off |
| CF Busy | *90 turn on / *91 turn off |
| CF Do Not Answer | *92 turn on / *93 turn off |
| Call Return | *69 |
| Flash Hold | *22 |
| Last Number Redial | *66 |
| Call ID Block | *31 turn on / #31XX turn off |
| Per Call ID Block | *67 |
| Three Way Calling | Place first call on hold(*22),then dial the next call, once connected, *22 will join the two calls |
| International Block | Please call 866-746-3873 for a PIN that will allow you to make an international call. |
| Features | What It Does | Key Code |
| Anonymous Call Rejection | Allows you to reject calls from anonymous parties who have explicitly restricted their Caller ID. | *77 turn on *87 turn off |
| Do Not Disturb | Allows you to set your phone service as unavailable so that incoming calls are given a busy tone. | *78 turn on *79 turn off |
| Speed Dial 100 | Allows you to dial single digit codes to call up to 100 different numbers. | *75 to set up list |
| Premium Features | What It Does |
Key Codes |
| Call Forwarding Selective | Allows you to define criteria that causes certain incoming calls to be redirected to a different telephone number. | call 866-746-3873 for set-up, then #76 to activate and set up #77 to deactivate |
| You can manage the following features at the OTELCO secure web portal. Please call 1-866-746-3873 Option 1 for activation and password. | ||
| Selective Call Acceptance | Allows you to define the telephone numbers that will be allowed to reach your telephone number. If an incoming telephone number is on the list, the call will complete to the your phone. All other calls are blocked and the inbound caller is informed that the user does not wish to receive the call. | |
| Selective Call Rejection | Enables a user to define the telephone numbers that will not be allowed to reach the users telephone number. If an incoming telephone number is on the list, the call is blocked and the caller is informed that the user is not accepting calls. | |
| Call Notify | Allows you to define criteria that cause certain incoming calls to trigger an e-mail notification or a short message to a cell phone. If an incoming call meets your specified criteria, a notification is sent informing the you of the details of the incoming call attempt. | |
| Sequential Ring | Allows you to define a “find-me” list of phone numbers that are alerted sequentially for incoming calls. While the service searches for the you, the calling party is provided with a greeting followed by periodic comfort announcements. The caller can also interrupt the search to leave a message by pressing a specified key. | |
| Simultaneous Ring | Allows you to have multiple phones ring simultaneously for their inbound calls. For example, inbound calls to your home phone could also ring to your mobile phone. | |
| Broadworks Anywhere | This extends your phone services so that you can receive calls from any other fixed phone or mobile phone number. | |
| The following feature needs to be managed by our Customer Care Team. |
||
| Alternate Number | Provides a distinctive ring for a second number on a single phone line. You can have up to 10 Alternate Numbers, but there are only 3 distinct ring patterns. | Please call 866-746-3873 to configure Alternate Number |
LeverettNet does not offer separate television service (often referred to as cable), but does provide access to television and video streaming services over the Internet (sometimes referred to as video “over the top”).
Video streaming services include Netflix, Hulu, HBO, Amazon Video, Vudu, YouTube, Sling TV, and many others. Some satellite television providers—like Dish TV and Directtv—also provide access via an Internet connection, without needing a satellite dish. ‘Smart’ TVs and stand-alone streaming media hardware devices—for example, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV Stick, etc.—allow television sets to connect to “over-the-top” content.
An October 2016 report from The New York Times and the Wirecutter offers product recommendations and a guide to streaming television and video content over the Internet.
More information about television streaming is available in the News and Information section of this website.
Your email options are POP and IMAP. Each account includes up to 5 leverettnet.net email addresses with a minimum 5GB of storage per account,
Other email accounts (gmail, yahoo, etc . . .) can be used separately or forwarded to a leverettnet address (or vice versa).
Basic IMAP Settings
Incoming Mail Server: mail.leverettnet.net
Incoming Server Port: 993
Encryption: SSL/TLS
Authentication: Normal Password
Username: Your full email address
Outgoing Mail Server: mail.leverettnet.net
Outgoing Server Port: 587
Encryption: STARTTLS
Authentication: Normal Password
Username: Your full email address
*Some email clients will have a checkbox that says “require authentication”, make sure to check that.
Recommended Mail client: Mozilla Thunderbird
Download: https://www.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/
Thunderbird Walkthrough
After downloading Mozilla Thunderbird please follow the steps listed below to setup your Email Account.
Telephone wire pairing. Click image to view larger.
The ONT provides connection ports for telephone as well as for Ethernet. The jack on your existing telephone wiring will unplug from the telephone company service box and plug directly into a telephone port in the ONT (behind the outer weatherproof door). If you install new telephone wiring from the ONT to connect to existing telephone wiring inside your house, the following diagram shows the most common situation. In the event you end up with spare wires, cut the ends cleanly and wrap them back around the wire casing.
Fiber-to-the-home premises equipment and wiring. Click image to view larger.
The ONT converts signals carried as pulses of light on the optical fiber into electrical signals carried over low voltage twisted pair wire copper wiring referred to as “Ethernet” wiring. Ethernet carries the electrical signals from a port on the ONT to the subscriber’s equipment, typically a router.
For network administration and security reasons, you should not connect a computer directly to the ONT, unless you are requested to do so by a service technician.
The data rate of the signals to and from the ONT is one gigabit per second (that is, one thousand million bits transferred over the wire per second), often abbreviated as gbs.
Categories of ethernet wire suitable for that data rate are Cat 5 and higher. Cat 5e is normally considered entirely suitable for all but the longest and most interference-prone installations. A typical residential network will connect computers, printers, and other devices via wired jacks or wirelessly. In either instance, a router will be connected by Ethernet wire to an Ethernet port in the ONT (behind the outer weatherproof door) and will serve the inside network via wireless or a mix of wireless and wired connections.
Ethernet wiring can be installed by electricians, but may also be installed by others having appropriate skills. It is not highly complex to install. The most critical factors are that the cable must not be allowed to kink or be secured so tightly that it is crushed.
ONT connections. Click image to view larger.
The ONT is a network interface device used with fiber-optic systems. The ONT is the demarcation point between the LeverettNet fiber-optic network and the subscriber premises Ethernet wiring to the subscriber router, which serves the subscriber’s devices. The ONT converts optical signals into electrical signals, and vice-versa. The ONT terminates the fiber optic line in an inner compartment and the premises Ethernet and telephone wiring in an outer compartment. The ONT is powered from the subscriber premises electrical system, through an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit.
NOTE: The ONT is the property of the Town of Leverett. It is not to be painted, moved, adjusted, or tampered with.
The homeowner may access only the outer compartment behind the weatherproof exterior door—which is secured by an ordinary slotted screw—for ports to connect premises Ethernet and telephone wiring. Operational status lights are visible in this outer compartment.
To subscribe or for billing and other non-technical matters, contact the ISP, OTELCO at 1-866-746-3873; press 2, Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM.
For 24 /7 Repair & Technical Support:1-866-746-3873 and press 1
If it’s more convenient, drop a note.
Contact Form
A new home connection to LeverettNet requires a fiber-optic drop line from the network distribution line at a roadside utility pole to an Optical Network Terminal (ONT) on the house. Unless the homeowner provides a passable buried conduit (minimum size 1¼”), the drop line will be aerial. The ONT is powered by an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) connected to the house electric system. The drop line and associated equipment remain the property of the Town. The LMLP has contracted with Collins Electric to install new connections, as follows:
Generic Scope of work:
- Up to 500′ aerial or in passable conduit minimum size 1¼”
- One 2-fiber cable drop from distribution pole closure to house
- One Calix 711GE ONT at approved owner location
- One UPS and 7-conductor line to ONT
- Splicing one pigtail SC/APC at customer location
Estimated Base Price: $2,400.00.
- Collins will track installation time and the actual cost may be lower or higher.
- Collins will provide a specific cost estimate, for a fee of $150.
- Homeowner must provide 120-volt outlet for UPS.
- Homeowner is responsible for interior network wiring (Ethernet, router, etc.).
To initiate the process for a new connection to LeverettNet, submit a complete and signed LMLP Homeowner Easement and Right of Access Form to Town Hall, Leverett.
Contact Town Administrator Margie McGinnis 413-548-9699 for further information.
The ONT has two Ethernet ports and two telephone ports, where the homeowner’s cable(s) connect to inside wiring. Each port can be provisioned by the ISP to carry a separate Internet or telephone subscription. Arrangements for additional LeverettNet accounts can be made directly with the ISP. It is also possible to arrange with the ISP to install an ONT with more than two ports for even more subscriptions.
The Leverett Municipal Light Plant as a matter of policy forbids resale of a LeverettNet connection. Anyone seeking a commercial arrangement for LeverettNet usage should contact the LMLP, which will review requests and, if approved, establish terms that ensure network build, maintenance, and operating costs are shared appropriately.
A survey plan for the aerial or underground path of a fiber “drop” to a subscriber location is completed prior to the installation. This plan shows the approximate path to be taken and provides a good reference to use when searching for the conduit. This plan is on file with the LMLP in Town Hall. Contact the LMLP to see a copy of the plan for your location.
NOTE: The actual path of the cable is subject to conditions discovered in the course of the trenching work and for this reason may be found far from the path shown by the plan.
Underground drops are enclosed in an orange-colored conduit, buried approximately five to twelve inches below the surface. The best practice for digging anywhere between the roadway and the house ONT installation is to dig by hand for the first twelve inches of depth.
The homeowner is responsible for costs to repair fiber broken or damaged by digging or other interference.
Use the Tree Trim or Removal Request Form on this website to report trees that are endangering cables. Your report will be sent to the LMLP, the Leverett Tree Warden, and the electric company to remedy the problem.
Contact OTELCO by phone 866-746-3873 option 1 or Email.
Fiber To The _______ is a generic term for any broadband network architecture using optical fiber to provide all or part of a last mile telecommunications system. Fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) refers to fiber optic cable connections to individual residences; also known as Fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP): LeverettNet deploys this architecture. Fiber-to-the-curb (FTTC) refers to fiber optic cable extended along a street or road, passing individual premises.
Optical fiber is a strand of glass about as thin as a human hair that transmits light pulses carrying digital information. The light pulses are generated, received, and converted from / to electrical signals by electronic equipment at each end of the fiber, to form a communications network. Fibers are grouped in bundles in cables throughout the network. Optical fiber is less expensive and lighter weight than copper wires and can transmit more data with less power and signal degradation over longer distances. Optical fiber is electrically non-conductive and not subject to electromagnetic interference.
A Gigabit of Internet bandwidth is 1,000 Megabits (Mb). A Gigabit network can provide data transfer rates of one gigabit per second (Gbps) over fiber. Most end-user devices process data at slower speeds than fiber.
Gigabit as a measure of bandwidth is not to be confused with Gigabit as a measure of data. Bandwidth (what engineers call bitrate) refers to data transfer rates: or how fast information can move between devices. A Gigabit of data, in contrast, is a measurement of quantity: one billion bits of data. It takes eight bits (referred to as a byte) to store a single character of text.
Symmetrical Bandwidth refers to equal upload and download speed. Download (or downstream) bandwidth is the path that brings information from the network to a subscriber’s device. Upload (or upstream) is the path that carries information from the subscriber’s device into the network. All Internet activity involves both paths. Video streaming is an example of an activity that uses more downstream than up. Cloud services, telehealth, and video conferencing are examples of activities that use up and down streams more evenly and may use upstream more than down.
No, you do not need a modem. The ONT serves the same purpose as a modem.
UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply): contains a battery backup to provide short-term power to the ONT in the event of a grid power outage. Converts AC (alternating current) from the electrical grid into DC (direct current) to the ONT and keeps the battery charged. The apparatus provides surge protection and filtering to correct some common utility grid problems—voltage and frequency instabilities. The UPS is connected to the ONT with two power wires and five signal wires. The battery in the UPS unit is a sealed, maintenance-free lead-acid type.
Your UPS provides indicator lights to let you know how it’s operating.
- System Status: Green = normal operation
- DC: Green = battery is supplying power (see diagram below for alarm details)
- Mute: Orange = alarm muted (see diagram below for muting instructions)
- Replace Battery: Red = battery replacement required
Uninterruptible power supply indicator lights. Click image to view larger.
The ONT sends UPS status signals to the Calix Management System (CMS) and can be monitored by the Internet Service Provider (ISP). The subscriber may replace the battery directly or contact an electrician. Two local electricians are certified by LeverettNet to work on ONT and UPS issues: Ryan Gahagan [Grace Electrical Services, 860-805-3683] and Lee Edelberg [H. 413-549-8963; C. 413-522-0356].
The UPS battery charges when it is connected to utility power. The battery charges fully during the first 24 hours of normal operation. Do not expect full battery run capability during this initial charge period.
The battery is hot-swappable. You may replace it while UPS is connected. See diagram below for details.
UPS battery replacement. Click image to view larger.
Use a Sealed, Maintenance Free Lead-Acid Battery with 12Vdc 7 amp-hour output. This battery may be purchased at a local electrical supply store or online [12vdc 7ah sealed lead acid battery]. Using an incorrect battery may cause damage or risk of energy hazard.
A Point of Presence is a demarcation and access point to the Internet. It is a physical location that houses electronic equipment necessary to connect the “last mile” network to the “middle mile,” which connects through the ISP to the Internet.
The Middle Mile is the network that provides connectivity from local “last mile” networks to the Internet. The “middle mile” for LeverettNet is owned by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute and operated by Axia NGNetworks.
Ethernet is a system for connecting computer systems, with protocols to control the passing of information and to avoid simultaneous transmission by two or more systems
An Active Ethernet network provides each subscriber with their own fiber link to the network node switch, which links the local network to the Internet. In comparison, a GPON network uses passive optical splitters to connect up to 32 subscribers to a single fiber link to the network node. AE makes higher bandwidth possible by the direct link from the switch to the subscriber. LeverettNet employs AE.
LeverettNet provides access to a gigabit speed to the Internet. Some factors can inhibit access to this speed, including:
- the network interface card on a subscriber device (1000BASE-T = gigabit capable)
- other components of subscriber devices (chipsets, motherboards, operating systems, applications, etc.)
- rating on the Ethernet cable (Cat5e = gigabit capable)
- simultaneously running bandwidth-intensive applications (e.g., video takes priority over other data)
- delay in LeverettNet and/or the Internet beyond LeverettNet and/or websites, due to traffic congestion, rerouting, etc.
- note that websites, even speed test websites, do not necessarily run at 1Gig
- older wireless access point and/or wireless network adapter (protocol earlier than 802.11n)
- note that wireless is inherently slower than wired; optimize by locating access point closer to devices and with fewer barriers; use different frequencies from cordless phones; etc.
A number of mechanisms are built into the LeverettNet network nodes and ONTs to enhance network security. Security features configured on the Leverettnet network include, but are not limited to, MAC forced forwarding, Multicast Filtering, IP DHCP Option82, IGMP snooping, IP Source Verify and limited scope VLANS. The Network Operator has deployed these features globally across the network. Additionally, the network has the ability to prioritize certain types of traffic over others. For example – telephone takes priority over Internet. For more information about how the Network Operator monitors LeverettNet, click here.
For home networks: The short answer is “Read the instructions that come with your router!” There are many variations of routers with different methods for managing security. Some are able to provide more security and are easier to set up than others. The key security feature for any router is that it have password controlled access to the home network. It is also important to change the password for the router’s “admin” or “manager” account from its factory default as soon as the router is installed. Information about how to set both passwords will be found when you “read the instructions that come with the router.”
For more information about Internet security best practices, visit Internet Security in the LeverettNet Blog
