LIMA, Ohio – Watch Communications announced its acquisition of Q Wireless, strengthening the telecommunications company's foothold in western Kentucky and southeastern Indiana.

"Watch Communications will build on the strong foundation created by Q Wireless to provide high-quality, reliable Internet services to residents in rural communities," said Watch Communications President and CEO Chris Daniels. "We welcome Q Wireless customers into the Watch family and are pleased to have the experience and knowledge of Q's team in our company. We are committed to launching new services in the under- and unserved areas of western Kentucky and southeastern Indiana and to offering exciting improvements and higher speed offerings as they become available to current customers."

Watch Communications is a broadband service provider and subsidiary of Benton Ridge Telephone (BRT), an Ohio corporation founded in 1902 to provide telephone services in rural Ohio communities. Over time, BRT began offering broadband services in these same communities using fiber, wireless, and other technologies. Watch Communications was founded in 1992 to extend broadband services to new areas and to take advantage of new technologies that continue to come online. Watch Communications provides broadband, telephone and video solutions in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky.

Since 2007, the Q Wireless team has provided high-quality internet services such as ConnectGRADD, Owensboro Online, QKY, and Community Connect in its service areas. This acquisition increases Watch's subscriber base by about 2,000 residential customers. Upgrading and expanding services throughout the eight-county partnership of ConnectGRADD remains a top priority.

"Joining Watch Communications will expand Internet and other wireless service to the Q family," said Phil Lambert, owner of Q Wireless who will now serve as the Southern Region general manager for Watch Communications. "We're excited to be part of the Watch Communications team and look forward to continuing to provide our friends and neighbors with reliable, high-quality Internet and wireless solutions."

Watch Communications also recently acquired Beyond Media Networks, an Illinois-based wireless internet service provider for eastern Illinois and western Indiana, and Sit-CO, a fiber and fixed-wireless broadband solutions provider based in Evansville, Indiana.

Watch Communications recently announced a partnership with Microsoft as part of the Microsoft Airband Initiative. As an Airband partner, Watch will leverage multiple technologies to deliver broadband solutions to areas of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois that are currently unserved or underserved. The acquisition of Q Wireless extends the Microsoft partnership into Kentucky.

Watch Communications