Sherwood Mutual Telephone Association was established February 2, 1906. Officers at that time were Chairman, W. H. Miller; Treasurer, Fred Fraker; and Secretary, J. Mitchell. They were elected to one-year terms. Incorporated in 1935 as a not-for-profit corporation, the company instituted its Constitution, By-Laws, Rules and Regulations under which the company is still partially governed today.
1990 was a busy year for the company as a digital central office switch was installed and the first general capital credit retirement was completed. 1995 was another big year as the company paid off all REA loans and joined with Arthur Mutual Telephone Company and Ayersville Telephone Company to form SAA bright.net. In 1997 the company purchased the assets of the local cable company and began to provide cable TV service under the name, SherTel Cable. The TV service was upgraded in 2007 with the installation of fiber optic cable in town.
Today SMTA is a premier provider of High-Speed Internet Service and IPTV as well as high quality local telephone service and Bright Long Distance connectivity to telephones outside the local service area. The partnership with Arthur and Ayersville has continued with the purchase of MetaLINK Technologies, Qualstar, and LINK Investments in 2009, Direct Link in 2012, and Koenig Security and Electronics in 2013.