SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                            Washington, D.C. 20549

                                   FORM 8-A/A

                FOR REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN CLASSES OF SECURITIES
                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



                      DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK CORPORATION
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



         Delaware                               47-0669375
(State of incorporation                        (IRS Employer
     or organization)                      Identification Number)


 9110 West Dodge Road, Suite 200, Omaha, Nebraska                 68114 
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Address of principal executive offices)                        (Zip Code)


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

         Title of each class           Name of each exchange on which
         to be so registered           each class is to be registered
         -------------------           ------------------------------
                None                               None


If this form relates to the  registration  of a class of securities  pursuant to
Section  12(b)  of  the  Exchange  Act  and is  effective  pursuant  to  General
Instruction A.(c), check the following box.[ ]

If this form relates to the  registration  of a class of securities  pursuant to
Section  12(g)  of  the  Exchange  Act  and is  effective  pursuant  to  General
Instruction A.(d), check the following box.[x]


Securities to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

                         Preferred Stock Purchase Rights
                         -------------------------------
                                (Title of class)



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Item 1.  Description of Registrant's Securities to be Registered.

         On August 29, 1997, the Board of Directors of Data Transmission Network
Corporation (the "Company")  declared a dividend of one preferred share purchase
right (a "Right") for each  outstanding  share of common stock,  par value $.001
per share, of the Company.  The dividend was payable on September 2, 1997 to the
stockholders of record on that date.  Each Right entitled the registered  holder
to purchase  from the Company one  one-thousandth  of a share of Series A Junior
Participating  Preferred  Stock,  par value $.50 per share,  of the Company at a
price of $150.00 per one-thousandth of a share of such Preferred Stock, upon the
happening of certain  events.  The  description  and terms of the Rights are set
forth in a Rights  Agreement  (the "Rights  Agreement")  between the Company and
First National Bank of Omaha,  as Rights Agent,  dated as of August 29, 1997, as
previously  amended by the First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of March
4, 1999,  and as further  amended by the Second  Amendment  to Rights  Agreement
dated as of March 24,  1999  (the  "Second  Amendment").  The  Second  Amendment
amended  the Rights  Agreement  to provide for the Rights to expire on March 24,
1999, by changing the Final Expiration Date to March 24, 1999. Accordingly,  the
Rights are no longer exercisable.  Except as modified by the Second Amendment as
provided  above,  the  information  required  by this  item is  incorporated  by
reference to the Registration  Statement on Form 8-A/A filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on March 12, 1999.

Item 2.  Exhibits.

1.     Rights Agreement,  dated as of August 29, 1997, between Data Transmission
       Network  Corporation  and First National Bank of Omaha,  as Rights Agent,
       which  includes the Form of Certificate of Designation of Series A Junior
       Participating Preferred Stock as Exhibit A, the Form of Right Certificate
       as Exhibit B, and the Summary of Rights to Purchase  Shares of  Preferred
       Stock as Exhibit C.

2.     Press release of Data Transmission  Network  Corporation dated August 29,
       1997.

3.     First Amendment to Rights  Agreement  dated as of March 4, 1999,  between
       Data Transmission  Network  Corporation and First National Bank of Omaha,
       as Rights Agent.

4.     Press release of Data  Transmission  Network  Corporation  dated March 4,
       1999.

5.     Second Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of March 24, 1999,  between
       Data Transmission  Network  Corporation and First National Bank of Omaha,
       as Rights Agent.

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                                    Signature

         Pursuant to the  requirements of Section 12 of the Securities  Exchange
Act of 1934, the registrant  has duly caused this  registration  statement to be
signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized.

         Date: April 2, 1999.

                                           DATA TRANSMISSION NETWORK CORPORATION



                                           By:    /s/ Brian L. Larson
                                                  ----------------------------
                                                  Brian L. Larson, 
                                                  Vice President, 
                                                  Chief Financial Officer
                                                  and Secretary



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                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


                                                                    Page Number
                                                                   In Sequential
         Exhibit                                                     Numbering
           No.                                                        System
         -------                                                  --------------

           1            Rights  Agreement,  dated as of  August           * 
                        29,  1997, between Data  Transmission  
                        Network  Corporation  and First National 
                        Bank of Omaha, as Rights Agent,  which
                        includes the Form of  Certificate  of  
                        Designation of Series  A  Junior  
                        Participating  Preferred  Stock as Exhibit A,
                        the Form of Right  Certificate  as Exhibit
                        B, and the  Summary of Rights to  Purchase
                        Shares of Preferred Stock as Exhibit C.

           2            Press  release  of  Data  Transmission            *
                        Network Corporation  dated  August 29,1997.

           3            First  Amendment  to  Rights Agreement            **
                        dated as of March  4,  1999,  between  Data  
                        Transmission  Network Corporation and First
                        National Bank of Omaha, as Rights Agent.

           4            Press release of Data Transmission Net-           **
                        work Corporation dated March 4, 1999.

           5            Second  Amendment to  Rights Agreement             5
                        dated as of March 24, 1999, between Data
                        Transmission Network Corporation   
                        and First National Bank of  Omaha,
                        as  Rights Agent.


       *      Incorporated   by  reference  to  the  exhibits  to  the  original
              Registration  Statement on Form 8-A filed with the  Securities and
              Exchange Commission on August 29, 1997.

       **    Incorporated  by  reference  to the  exhibits  to the  Registration
             Statement  on Form 8-A/A  filed with the  Securities  and  Exchange
             Commission on March 12, 1999.

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