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                                                                   EXHIBIT 10.16

                           RESTRICTED STOCK UNIT AWARD

Award Number: ________________

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 Award             Number of Units      Final Vesting Date
--------           ---------------      ------------------
<S>                <C>                  <C>
12/21/04                800                  12/21/04
</TABLE>

      THIS CERTIFIES THAT SureWest Communications (the "Company") has on the
Award Date specified above granted to

[NAME]

      ("Participant") an award (the "Award") to receive that number of
restricted stock units (the "Restricted Stock Units") indicated above in the box
labeled "Number of Units," each Restricted Stock Unit representing the right to
receive one share of SureWest Communications Common Stock (the "Common Stock"),
plus an additional amount pursuant to Section 1(b), subject to certain
restrictions and on the terms and conditions contained in this Award and the
SureWest Communications 2000 Equity Incentive Plan (the "Plan"). A copy of the
Plan is available upon request. In the event of any conflict between the terms
of the Plan and this Award, the terms of the Plan shall govern. Any terms not
defined herein shall have the meaning set forth in the Plan.

      1.    Rights of the Participant with Respect to the Restricted Stock
Units.

            (a) No Shareholder Rights. The Restricted Stock Units granted
      pursuant to this Award do not and shall not entitle Participant to any
      rights of a shareholder of Common Stock. The rights of Participant with
      respect to the Restricted Stock Units shall remain forfeitable at all
      times prior to the date on which such rights become vested, and the
      restrictions with respect to the Restricted Stock Units lapse in
      accordance with Section 2, 3 or 4.

            (b) Additional Restricted Stock Units. As long as Participant holds
      Restricted Stock Units granted pursuant to this Award, the Company shall
      credit to Participant, on each date that the Company pays a cash dividend
      to holders of Common Stock generally, an additional number of Restricted
      Stock Units ("Additional Restricted Stock Units") equal to the total
      number of whole Restricted Stock Units and Additional Restricted Stock
      Units previously credited to Participant under this Award multiplied by
      the dollar amount of the cash dividend paid per share of Common Stock by
      the Company on such date, divided by the Fair Market Value of a share of
      Common Stock on the cash dividend payment date. Any fractional Restricted
      Stock Unit resulting from such calculation shall be included in the
      Additional Restricted Stock Units. A report showing the number of
      Additional Restricted Stock Units so credited shall be sent to Participant
      periodically as determined by the Company. The Additional Restricted Stock
      Units so credited shall be subject to the same terms and conditions as the
      Restricted Stock Units to which such

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      Additional Restricted Stock Units relate and the Additional Restricted
      Stock Units shall be forfeited in the event that the Restricted Stock
      Units with respect to which such Additional Restricted Stock Units were
      credited are forfeited.

            (c) Conversion of Restricted Stock Units; Issuance of Common Stock.
      Shares of Common Stock shall be issued to Participant to the extent of the
      vesting of the Restricted Stock Units only upon the cessation of
      Participant's service as a member of the Board of Directors of the
      Company. Neither this Section 1(c) nor any action taken pursuant to or in
      accordance with this Section 1(c) shall be construed to create a trust of
      any kind. The Company shall promptly cause to be issued in book-entry
      form, registered in Participant's name or in the name of Participant's
      legal representatives, beneficiaries or heirs, as the case may be, in
      payment of the Restricted Stock Units and any Additional Restricted Stock
      Units. The value of any fractional Restricted Stock Unit shall be paid in
      cash at the time certificates are delivered to Participant in payment of
      the Restricted Stock Units and any Additional Restricted Stock Units.

      2.    Vesting. All of the Restricted Stock Units are vested immediately.

      3.    Early Vesting and Exercise Upon Change in Control. Upon the
effective date of a Change in Control, all of the Restricted Stock Units shall
become immediately and unconditionally exercisable, and the restrictions with
respect to all of the Restricted Stock Units shall lapse.

      4.    Forfeiture or Early Vesting Upon Termination of Service.
[Intentionally Omitted]

      5.    Restriction on Transfer. The Restricted Stock Units and any rights
under this Award may not be sold, assigned, transferred, pledged, hypothecated
or otherwise disposed of by Participant otherwise than by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution, and any such purported sale, assignment, transfer,
pledge, hypothecation or other disposition shall be void and unenforceable
against the Company. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Participant may, in the
manner established by the Committee, designate a beneficiary or beneficiaries to
exercise the rights of Participant and receive any property distributable with
respect to the Restricted Stock Units upon the death of Participant.

      6.    Adjustments to Restricted Stock Units. In the event that any
dividend or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, shares of Common
Stock, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split,
reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, consolidation, split-up, spin-off,
combination, repurchase or exchange of Common Stock or other securities of the
Company or other similar corporate transaction or event affecting the Common
Stock would be reasonably likely to result in the diminution or enlargement of
any of the benefits or potential benefits intended to be made available under
the Award (including, without limitation, the benefits or potential benefits of
provisions relating to the vesting of the Restricted Stock Units), the Committee
shall, in such manner as it shall deem equitable or appropriate in order to
prevent such diminution or enlargement of any such benefits or potential
benefits, make adjustments to the Award, including adjustments in the number and
type of shares of Common Stock Participant would have received upon vesting of
the Restricted Stock Units; provided, however, that the

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number of shares into which the Restricted Stock Units may be converted shall
always be a whole number.

      7.    Income Tax Matters.

            (a) In order to comply with all applicable federal and state income
      tax laws or regulations, the Company may take such action as it deems
      appropriate to ensure that all applicable federal or state payroll,
      withholding, income or other taxes, which are the sole and absolute
      responsibility of Participant, are withheld or collected from Participant.

            (b) In accordance with the terms of the Plan, and such rules as may
      be adopted by the Committee under the Plan, Participant may elect to
      satisfy Participant's federal and state income tax withholding obligations
      arising from the receipt of, or the lapse of restrictions relating to, the
      Restricted Stock Units, by (i) delivering cash, check (bank check,
      certified check or personal check) or money order payable to the Company,
      (ii) having the Company withhold a portion of the shares of Common Stock
      otherwise to be delivered having a Fair Market Value equal to the amount
      of such taxes, or (iii) delivering to the Company shares of Common Stock
      already owned by Participant having a Fair Market Value equal to the
      amount of such taxes. Any shares already owned by Participant referred to
      in the preceding sentence must have been owned by Participant for no less
      than six months prior to the date delivered to the Company if such shares
      were acquired upon the exercise of an option or upon the vesting of
      restricted stock or other restricted stock units. The Company will not
      deliver any fractional share of Common Stock but will pay, in lieu
      thereof, the Fair Market Value of such fractional share. Participant's
      election must be made on or before the date that the amount of tax to be
      withheld is determined.

      8.    Miscellaneous.

            (a) This Award does not confer on Participant any right with respect
      to the continuance of any relationship with the Company or its
      subsidiaries, nor will it interfere in any way with the right of the
      Company to terminate such relationship at any time.

            (b) The Company shall not be required to deliver any shares of
      Common Stock upon vesting of any Restricted Stock Units until the
      requirements of any federal or state securities laws, rules or regulations
      or other laws or rules (including the rules of any securities exchange) as
      may be determined by the Company to be applicable are satisfied.

            (c) An original record of this Award and all the terms hereof,
      executed by the Company, is held on file by the Company. To the extent
      there is any conflict between the terms contained in this Award and the
      terms contained in the original held by the Company, the terms of the
      original held by the Company shall control.

                                     * * * *

      By your signature and the signature of the Company's representative below,
you and the Company agree that the Restricted Stock Units are granted under and
governed by the terms and conditions of the Plan and this Restricted Stock Unit
Award.

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PARTICIPANT:                           SUREWEST COMMUNICATIONS,
                                       a California corporation

_____________________________          By: ___________________________________
[Name]                                   Brian H. Strom
                                         President and Chief Executive Officer

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