Smithville Telephone was the first company in Indiana to provide a Digital (DS3) Learning Network. The first class, taught in 1993, connected a high school to Indiana University. Later that year, Smithville Telephone connected Edgewood High School and Cologne, Germany with financial assistance from Ford Motor Company.

In 1994, the network was used to transmit five classes each day between four high schools, Ivy Tech and Indiana University. Smithville Telephone leased another DS3 to provide access to Indianapolis, connecting a total of 97 high schools, most major universities and colleges, the Indianapolis Museum of Art and the Indianapolis Children's Museum. Also that year, the network was used to link a class in Japan with a class at Edgewood High School.

In addition to improving the educational systems in the area, Smithville Telephone is very involved in the communities it serves.

In 1933, the Company was bought by Mr. Guy A. Draper who continued to carve the future of the Company until his untimely death in 1942. Mr. Guy A. Draper’s son, Mr. Byron A. Draper, assumed control and continued to expand the Company throughout 14 other counties in Central and South Central Indiana.

In 1955, the Smithville Exchange was converted to dial, and the Stanford Exchange was created out of open territory in Southern Monroe County. The Clear Creek Manual Exchange was absorbed by the Smithville and Stanford Exchanges. The Ellettsville Exchange was converted to dial in 1957.

The Owen County Exchange of Gosport was merged with the Smithville Telephone Company, and the existing dial office was replaced in 1957. The Company then acquired the Star Telephone Company at French Lick and converted it to dial in 1958.

The Smithville Telephone Company, also acquired eight properties formerly belonging to Mr. Max Hosea, several of which started as adjuncts to strip mining operations in Sullivan and Greene Counties. Those properties were Hymera, Lyons, Marco and Switz City, in Sullivan and Greene Counties; Sharpsville and Goldsmith in Tipton County; Griffin in Posey County; and Lizton in Hendricks County. All of these exchanges were converted to dial in 1960. Goldsmith was combined with Sharpsville; Marco and Switz City were combined with Lyons.

The Greene County Communities served by the Scotland Cooperative Telephone Company and The Farmers Cooperative Telephone Company, were combined with the previously acquired Owensburg Cooperative Telephone Company in 1962 and were converted to dial operation.

The Smithville Telephone Company also acquired the Stewartsville Mutual Telephone Company which was combined with the existing Griffin Exchange in 1966; the Newberry Telephone Corporation combined with the Lyons Exchange in 1967; and the Pleasantville Incorporated Telephone Company was absorbed into the Lyons Exchange in 1969.

Patricia A. Earles succeeded her father, the late Byron A. Draper, as President and Chairman of the Board in 1974. Under her leadership the Company continued to grow by converting the following exchanges to Digital service: French Lick, 1980; Lyons, 1983; Owensburg, 1984; Lizton, 1986; Ellettsville, 1987; Lake Monroe, Gosport and Griffin, 1988; Sharpsville, 1989; Hymera, 1990; Smithville, 1990; and Stanford, 1991. All twelve exchanges are digital. Additionally, three Microwave Towers were placed in operation in 1990 and are located at Lake Monroe, Smithville and Deckard Ridge.

A Fiber Optic Ring was placed into service in 1991 linking together Ellettsville COE, Stanford COE, Smithville COE, and Indiana Bell Bloomington facilities.

In 1998 William H. Earles succeeded Patricia A. Draper Earles, his wife, and the daughter of the late Byron A. Draper, as President and Chairman of the Board until his death in September 2003. At this time, their daughter, Darby A. McCarty became President and CEO.

Smithville Telephone Company is responsible for the first interactive full motion distance learning hookup in the state by tying Eastern High School in Greene County to Edgewood High School in Monroe County and teaching German to both schools at one time. Smithville Telephone Company also entered the new millennium with it’s own long distance company and offering high speed Internet service with it’s Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) service. From linking stone quarries in 1922 to offering high speed Internet with it’s DSL service in 2002, Smithville Telephone Company is a progressive company that takes pride in being a part of the community that it serves.