EXHIBIT 23.1

                   CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS

    As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation by
reference  in this Form 10-K of Telephone  and Data Systems, Inc., of our report
dated February 7, 1995 (except with respect to the matters discussed in Note  12
and  Note 14,  as to  which the  date is  March 14,  1995), on  the consolidated
financial statements of Telephone and  Data Systems, Inc. and Subsidiaries  (the
"Company")  included in the Company's 1994 Annual Report to Shareholders, to the
inclusion in this Form 10-K  of our report dated  February 7, 1995 (except  with
respect to the matters discussed in Note 12 and Note 14, as to which the date is
March 14, 1995), on the financial statement schedules of the Company, and to the
inclusion  in this Form 10-K of our  compilation report dated February 17, 1995,
on  the  combined  financial  statements   of  the  Los  Angeles  SMSA   Limited
Partnership,  the Nashville/ Clarksville MSA  Limited Partnership, and the Baton
Rouge MSA Limited Partnership, and to the incorporation of such reports into the
Company's previously filed S-8 Registration  Statements, File No. 33-1192,  File
No.  33-4420, File No.  33-35172, File No.  33-50747 and File  No. 33-57257, and
into the  Company's  previously  filed S-3  Registration  Statements,  File  No.
33-8564,  File No.  33-8857, File  No. 33-8858, File  No. 33-28348  and File No.
33-68456, and into the Company's  previously filed S-4 Registration  Statements,
File No. 33-45570 and File No. 33-68988.

                                          ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

Chicago, Illinois
March 22, 1995