Timeline

  • 1944

    A bill is introduced in the U.S. Senate to establish a Rural Telephone Administration modeled after the already successful Rural Electrification Administration (REA)light

  • 1949

    farm work

    Rural Electrification Act is amended, making long-term, low interest loans available to rural telephone systems.

  • March 1, 1953 

    After the Rural Electrification Act is amended and government loans are available to rural telephone systems, Lamar, St. Marks and St. Meinrad Telephone Companies join forces to incorporate the Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

  • 1956-1959

    Bandon Exchange is added to the new St. Marks dial equipped office.  PSRTC purchases Holland and Stendal Telephone Companies. Government loans are available to rural telephone systems, Lamar, St. Marks and St. Meinrad Telephone Companies join forces to incorporate the  Perry-Spencer Rural  Telephone Cooperative, Inc .

  • 1960s

    To replace aerial open wire lines, many miles of buried cable are placed into service.

    electricity

  • 1970s

    phone

    Touch-tone service is available to customers with the upgrade of new electro-mechanical switching.

  • April 17, 1979

    Indiana’s first digital switch is placed into Holland’s office exchange.

  • Early 1980s

    Cooperative’s second digital switch is placed in the Santa Claus central office exchange.  Custom Calling Features are available due to digital advancements and include Call Waiting , Call Forwarding , Conference Calling and Speed Dialing . All customers are cut over to private line service.

  • Late 1980s & Early 1990s

    Fiber optic backbone network is constructed to central office exchanges.

    tractor

  • 1984

    AT&T , “Ma Bell”, is split into seven independent Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), or “Baby Bells”, leading to a surge in long distance competition.

  • 1991

    First patronage capital credit distribution was paid to the membership. To date, over $6.2 million has been paid to cooperative members.

  • 1995

    Perry Spencer Communications, Inc. (PSCI) subsidiary is created and offers local (toll-free) Internet access  to Perry, Spencer and Dubois counties. The Directory Recycling program is established. To date, the cooperative has paid over $62,000 to local schools for collecting over 170,000 directories for recycling.

  • 1995 – 2001

    Coop completes 5-year broadband network build and offers high-speed Internet (DSL) to 100% of cooperative members.

  • 1996

    act of 1996

    Telecom Act of 1996 is passed by Congress.  Telephone service is deregulated bringing to an end the era of telephone monopolies.

  • 1999

    PSCI adds Long Distance services to its product line.

  • 2002

    PSCI, with over twenty other independent telephone companies, forms Indiana Fiber Network (IFN) and creates Indiana’s first fiber optic network canvassing the entire state. PSCI deploys fixed wireless high-speed Internet, networking communities throughout Perry, Spencer and Dubois counties.

  • 2006

    PSC adds cable TV services (PSC tv ) to its product line.

    remote

  • 2007

    PSC embarks on its first Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) operation in Ferdinand .  The entire town is overbuilt with fiber optics, creating one of Indiana’s first Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) communities. PSC deploys R- Net , a regional fiber network offering high-speed managed Internet data services.

  • 2010

    A $29 million Coop-wide FTTH project is commenced in Christmas Lake Village in Santa Claus.

  • 2011

    PSC retires DMS 10 switches in all central offices and deploys its first IP softswitch.

  • 2013

    Tell City

    PSC commences its Tell City CLEC operation and begins deploying fiber optics throughout the community.