EXHIBIT 12

                        THE OHIO 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 cost, income                                              
        tax, extraordinary charge and                                                    
        cumulative effect of change in                                                   
        accounting principles.....................   $551.4   $274.1   $446.9   $432.0   $405.5
                                                                                         
    b)  Portion of rental expense representative                                         
        of the interest factor (1)................      4.5      1.7      2.2      2.6      4.0
                                                     ------   ------   ------   ------   ------
          Total 1(a) through 1(b).................   $555.9   $275.8   $449.1   $434.6   $409.5
                                                     ======   ======   ======   ======   ======
                                                                                         
2.  FIXED CHARGES                                                                        
    a)  Total interest cost including capital                                            
        lease obligations.........................   $ 62.3   $ 63.6   $ 62.2   $ 66.1   $ 80.6
                                                                                         
    b)  Portion of rental expense representative                                         
        of the interest factor (1)................      4.5      1.7      2.2      2.6      4.0
                                                     ------   ------   ------   ------   ------
          Total 2(a) through 2(b).................   $ 66.8   $ 65.3   $ 64.4   $ 68.7   $ 84.6
                                                     ======   ======   ======   ======   ======
                                                                                         
 RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES...............     8.32     4.22     6.97     6.33     4.84
                                                     ======   ======   ======   ======   ======


(1)  One-third of rental expense is considered to be the amount representing
     return on capital.

(2)  The results for 1995 reflect a $42.7 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 $7.2 associated with increased
     force costs related to the restructuring started in 1994, as well as a $1.0
     charge recorded to write down certain data processing equipment to net
     realizable value.  Results for 1994 reflect a $173.2 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.

(3)  Interest cost includes capitalized interest expense.

(4)  Earnings have not been adjusted to reflect the timing of dividends received
     and equity in earnings of unconsolidated affiliates since the effect on an
     annual basis has been insignificant.