SureWest Partners With HDNet for Launch of HDTV Over IP

SureWest Partners With HDNet for Launch of HDTV Over IP

24x7 High-Definition Networks Offer Original News, Sports, Entertainment and Movies

ROSEVILLE, Calif., Dec. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Leading independent telecommunications holding company SureWest Communications (NASDAQ:SURW) today announced that leading high-definition networks HDNet and HDNet Movies are part of its high-definition television (HDTV) service set to launch this year. SureWest is currently finalizing its beta testing as it prepares to become the first company in the United States to offer HDTV commercially over its Internet Protocol (IP)-based fiber-to-the-premise (FTTP) network.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050908/SFSUREWESTLOGO )

"We are pleased to offer viewers in the Sacramento region the great variety of live and original news, entertainment and sports programming that can only be seen on HDNet and HDNet Movies," said Peter Drozdoff, SureWest's vice president of marketing. "Through our HDTV channel lineup and launch of HDTV over IP, we are showcasing our dedication to providing customers with the highest-quality programming, sharpest picture available and a variety of emerging video products."

"We are happy to be partnering with SureWest to deliver the HDNet networks to their customers in the Sacramento region and to be providing them with great original high-definition programming and exclusive day-and-date premieres of theatrically released movies," said Mark Cuban, co-founder and president of HDNet. "This is a great opportunity to be part of something as ground-breaking as the first launch of HDTV over an IP network."

HDNet and HDNet Movies broadcast an original slate of news, sports, music and entertainment programming, all in 1080i high-definition format, with a widescreen 16x9 aspect ratio and crystal-clear resolution.

On HDNet, the network's flagship channel, SureWest viewers will enjoy news and entertainment programming including original series "HDNet World Report," "Face 2 Face with Roy Firestone," "Debate," "HDNet Concert Series," and "True Music," as well acquired programs such as every episode of the acclaimed Warner Bros. series "Smallville." Live sports productions include National Hockey League and Major League Soccer games, and NASCAR Grand National Division auto racing.

HDNet Movies is the exclusive home of day and date movie releases including "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room," and "The War Within." HDNet Movies also features a wide selection of major studio's theatrical releases -- all uncut, unedited and appearing in their original aspect ratio -- as well as features produced and finished in true 1080i high-definition.

HDNet (www.hd.net) launched in September 2001 and is co-founded by Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks, and General Manager Philip Garvin of Colorado Studios.

To view HDNet and HDNet Movies, SureWest customers will need an HDTV set, a SureWest HDTV cable box and a subscription to the SureWest HD service tier.

About SureWest

With more than 90 years in Northern California, SureWest and its family of companies together provide a wide variety of highly reliable advanced communications products and services. SureWest provides digital TV, fiber optics, PCS wireless, DSL, high-speed Internet access, data transport, local and long distance telephone service, and directories with the highest standards of customer care. For more information, visit the SureWest web site at www.surewest.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

Statements made in this news release that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements and are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. In some cases, these forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as may, will, should, expect, plan, anticipate, or project or the negative of those words or other comparable words. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Such forward-looking statements are subject to a number of risks, assumptions and uncertainties that could cause the company's actual results to differ from those projected in such forward-looking statements.

Important factors that could cause actual results to differ from those set forth in the forward- looking statements include, but are not limited to: advances in telecommunications technology, changes in the telecommunications regulatory environment, changes in the financial stability of other telecommunications providers who are customers of the company, changes in competition in markets in which the company operates, adverse circumstances affecting the economy in California in general, and in the Sacramento, California Metropolitan area in particular, the availability of future financing, changes in the demand for services and products, new product and service development and introductions, pending and future litigation, the internal control issues identified by the company, and unanticipated changes in the growth of the company's emerging businesses, including the wireless, Internet, video and Competitive Local Exchange Carrier operating entities.

SureWest contact: Ron Rogers
916-746-3123, r.rogers@surewest.com

HDNet contact: Sherry Yeaman
214-366-3449, syeaman@hd.net

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050908/SFSUREWESTLOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: SureWest Communications

CONTACT: Ron Rogers of SureWest Communications, +1-916-746-3123, or
r.rogers@surewest.com; or Sherry Yeaman of HDNet, +1-214-366-3449, or
syeaman@hd.net

Web site: http://www.hd.net/

Web site: http://www.surewest.com/

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