<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND RELATED NOTES AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 3-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> MAR-31-1997 <CASH> 68,348 <SECURITIES> 57,079 <RECEIVABLES> 1,218,311 <ALLOWANCES> (108,831) <INVENTORY> 0 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 1,630,592 <PP&E> 4,741,836 <DEPRECIATION> (481,040) <TOTAL-ASSETS> 19,595,269 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 1,781,877 <BONDS> 4,617,431 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 128 <COMMON> 8,913 <OTHER-SE> 13,021,153 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 19,595,269 <SALES> 1,677,239 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 1,677,239 <CGS> 911,469 <TOTAL-COSTS> 1,506,719 <OTHER-EXPENSES> (8,401) <LOSS-PROVISION> 24,965 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 75,455 <INCOME-PRETAX> 103,466 <INCOME-TAX> 53,802 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 49,664 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 43,054 <EPS-PRIMARY> 0.05 <EPS-DILUTED> 0.05