EXHIBIT 12

                    CAROLINA TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY
          COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES (Unaudited)

- -------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
                                                       Quarter Ended                      Year-to-Date
                                                         June 30,                           June 30,
                                             --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------
                                                     1998             1997              1998             1997
- -------------------------------------------- --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------
                                                                        (in thousands)
Earnings
                                                                                                
   Income before income taxes                $     53,146      $      55,047    $      94,350     $     102,542
   Capitalized interest                               (12)              (118)             (29)             (156)
- -------------------------------------------- --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------

Subtotal                                           53,134             54,929           94,321           102,386
- -------------------------------------------- --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------

Fixed charges
   Interest charges                                 5,407              5,604           10,638            10,960
   Interest factor of operating rents                 293                331              585               663
- -------------------------------------------- --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------

Total fixed charges                                 5,700              5,935           11,223            11,623
- -------------------------------------------- --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------

Earnings, as adjusted                        $     58,834      $      60,864    $     105,544     $     114,009
                                             --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------

Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                  10.32              10.26             9.40              9.81
                                             --- ------------- -- ------------- --- ------------- -- -------------


Note:    These ratios were  computed by dividing  fixed  charges into the sum of
         earnings  (after  certain  adjustments)  and  fixed  charges.  Earnings
         include income before income taxes,  less capitalized  interest.  Fixed
         charges include  interest on all debt  (including  amortization of debt
         issuance costs) and the interest component of operating rents.