EXHIBIT 12

                     MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY
             COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

                           (Dollars in Millions)

                                                  Three Months Ended
                                                       March 31
                                                    -------------
                                                  1996         1995
                                                  ----         ----
1.  EARNINGS

     a) Income before interest expense,
         income taxes and undistributed
         equity earnings (3).................  $  245.9      $  257.9

     b) Single Business Tax (2)..............       6.3           7.2

     c) Portion of rental expense
         representative of the
         interest factor (1)(2)..............       3.1           2.8
                                               --------      --------
     Total 1(a) through 1(c).................  $  255.3      $  267.9
                                               --------      --------
2.  FIXED CHARGES

     a) Total interest expense including
         capital lease obligations...........  $   21.1      $   22.8

     b) Capitalized interest.................       0.5           0.4

     c) Portion of rental expense
         representative of the
         interest factor (1).................       3.1           2.8
                                               --------      --------
     Total 2(a) through 2(c).................  $   24.7      $   26.0
                                               --------      --------
3.  RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES......      10.34         10.30
                                                  =====         =====


(1)  One-third of rental expense is considered to be the amount
     representing return on capital.
     
(2)  Earnings are income before income taxes and fixed charges.  Since
     the Single Business Tax (the Tax) and rental expense have already
     been deducted, the Tax and the one-third portion of rental
     expense considered to be fixed charges are added back.
     
(3)  The results for the first three months of 1995 reflect a $72.8
     million pretax credit primarily from settlement gains resulting
     from lump sum pension payments from the pension plan to former
     employees who left the business in the nonmanagement work force
     restructuring.
     

                                                                    EXHIBIT 12
                                                                              
                                                                              
                          MICHIGAN BELL TELEPHONE COMPANY
                  COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES

                              (Dollars in Millions)

                                         1995    1994    1993   1992    1991
                                         ----    ----    ----   ----    ----


1.  EARNINGS

  a)  Income before interest expense, income
       tax, extraordinary charge, cumulative
       effect of change in accounting
       principles and undistributed
       equity earnings (3)...         $  863.1 $ 477.3 $ 584.2 $ 548.0 $ 533.8

  b)  Single Business Tax (2)........     26.2    28.3    27.6    25.2   25.6

  c)  Portion of rental expense representative
       of the interest factor (1)(2).     13.1    11.8    13.5    14.5   14.8
                                      -------- ------- ------- ------- -------
           Total 1(a) through 1(c)... $  902.4 $ 517.4 $ 625.3 $ 587.7 $ 574.2 
                                       ======= ======= ======= ======= =======

2.  FIXED CHARGES

  a)  Total interest expense including capital
       lease obligations.............  $  90.3 $  97.1 $ 104.8 $ 108.4 $ 123.1

  b)  Capitalized interest...........      1.7     1.5     1.4     1.2    2.2

  c)  Portion of rental expense representative
       of the interest factor (1)....     13.1    11.8    13.5    14.5   14.8
                                       ------- ------- ------- ------- -------
           Total 2(a) through 2(c)...  $ 105.1 $ 110.4 $ 119.7 $ 124.1 $ 140.1
                                      ======== ======= ======= ======= =======

3.  RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES    8.59    4.69    5.22    4.74   4.10
                                      ======== ======= ======= ======= =======


(1)  One-third  of  rental expense is considered to be the amount representing
     return on capital.
     
(2)  Earnings are income before income taxes and fixed charges.  Since the
     Single Business Tax (the Tax) and rental expense have already been
     deducted, the Tax and the one-third portion of rental expense considered
     to be fixed charges are added back.
     
(3)  The results for 1995 reflect a $64.9 pretax credit primarily from
     settlement gains resulting from lump sum pension payments from the
     pension plan to former employees who left the business in the
     nonmanagement work force restructuring, partially offset by increased
     force costs related to the restructuring started in 1994, as well as a
     write-down of certain data processing equipment to net realizable value.
     Results for 1994 reflect a $174.4 pretax charge associated with the
     nonmanagement work force restructuring.  Costs of the work force
     restructuring program have largely been funded from the Ameritech Pension
     Plan.