THIS DOCUMENT IS A COPY OF THE FORM 10-Q FILED
           ON MAY 15, 1996, WITH COPIES OF EXHIBITS FILED IN PAPER
         FORMAT PURSUANT TO A RULE 201 TEMPORARY HARDSHIP EXEMPTION
    


                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              WASHINGTON, DC 20549

   
                                   FORM 10-Q/A
      Amendment No. 1 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q dated May 15, 1996.
    

(MARK ONE)

[ X ]    QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                           SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         For the quarterly period ended       March 31, 1996
                                         ----------------------------------

                                       or

[     ]  TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION A3 OR 15(d) OF THE
                           SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

         For the transition period from                 to

Commission file number  0-16560

                         Vanguard Cellular Systems, Inc.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

         North Carolina                                 56-1549590
(State or other jurisdiction of             (I.R.S.Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)



  2002 Pisgah Church Road, Suite 300
     Greensboro, North Carolina                          27455-3314
(Address of principal executive offices)                 (Zip Code)

        Registrant's telephone number, including area code (910) 282-3690

         Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports
required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934  during  the  preceding  12 months  (or for such  shorter  period  that the
registrant was required to file such reports),  and (2) has been subject to such
filing requirements for the past 90 days.
                                                      Yes X No ___.

The number of shares  outstanding  of the issuer's  common stock as of April 15,
1996 was 41,313,443.









                VANGUARD CELLULAR SYSTEMS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES

                                      INDEX







PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION
                                                                          
   

  Item 6.         Exhibits                                                      II-1
    

SIGNATURES                                                                      II-2





   
Item 6.           EXHIBITS

(a) The  exhibits  to this Form 10-Q/A are listed in the  accompanying  Index to
Exhibits.

    




                                      II-1









                                   SIGNATURES




Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  and Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant  has fully  caused  this  report  to be  signed on its  behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.





                            VANGUARD CELLULAR SYSTEMS, INC.

   
Date:      May 22, 1996      By:  /s/         Haynes G. Griffin
                                  -----------------------------
                                                Haynes G. Griffin
                                                    President
                                                       and
                                             Chief Executive Officer


Date:      May 22, 1996      By:  /s/      Stephen L. Holcombe
                                  ----------------------------
                                             Stephen L. Holcombe
                                            Senior Vice President
                                                       and
                                           Chief Financial Officer
                                             (principal accounting and
                                              principal financial officer)
    

                                      II-2





                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS



EXHIBIT NO.                                         DESCRIPTION


* 4 (a)      Articles of  Incorporation  of Registrant as amended  through
             July  25,1995,  filed as Exhibit 1 to the  Registrant's  Form 8-A/A
             dated July 25, 1995.

* 4 (b)      Bylaws of Registrant (compilation of July 25, 1995), filed as
             Exhibit 2 to the Registrant's Form 8-A/A dated July 25, 1995.

* 4(c)       Specimen Common Stock Certificate, filed as Exhibit 2 to the
             Registrant's Form 8-A/A dated July 25, 1995.

**4(d)(1)    Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement between Vanguard 
             Cellular Operating Corp. and various lenders led by The Bank of 
             New York and The Toronto-Dominion Bank as agents, dated as of 
             April 10, 1996.

**4(d)(2)    VCOC Security Agreement between Vanguard Cellular Operating Corp. 
             and various lenders led by The Bank of New York and The 
             Toronto-Dominion Bank as Secured Party, dated as of April 10, 
             1996.

**4(d)(3)    Second Amended and Restated Master Subsidiary Security Agreement 
             between certain subsidiaries of the Registrant and various lenders
             led by The Bank of New York and The Toronto-Dominion Bank, as 
             Secured Party, dated as of April 10, 1996.

**4(d)(4)    Assignment, Bill of Sale and Assumption Agreement by and between
             Registrant and Vanguard Cellular Financial Corp., dated as of
             April 10, 1996.

**4(e)(1)    Indenture dated as of April 1, 1996 between Registrant and The Bank
             of New York as Trustee.

**4(e)(2)    First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 1, 1996 between
             Registrant and The Bank of New York as Trustee.

   
***11        Calculation  of fully  diluted  earnings  per  share  for the three
             months ended March 31, 1996 and 1995.

***27        Financial Data Schedule.
    

*  Incorporated by reference to the statement or report indicated.

   
**  Previously filed on May 15, 1996 under cover of Form SE pursuant to a 
    temporary hardship exemption in accordance with Rule 201 of Regulation S-T.

*** Previously filed on May 15, 1996 as Exhibits to Form 10-Q.
    

The following schedules to the Second Amended and Restated Loan Agreement, filed
as Exhibit 4(d)(1) hereto, have been omitted. The Registrant hereby undertakes
to furnish supplementally a copy of any such omitted schedule to the Commission
upon request.

Exhibit A         Form of Assignment of Rights by Partner
Exhibit B         Form of Borrower Pledge Agreement
Exhibit C         Form of Certificate of Financial Condition
Exhibit D         Form of Note Pledge Agreement
Exhibit E         Form of Request for Advance
Exhibit F         Form of Revolving Loan Note
Exhibit G         Form of Security Agreement
Exhibit H         Form of Subsidiary Guaranty
Exhibit I         Form of Subsidiary Pledge Agreement
Exhibit J         Form of Subsidiary Security Agreement
Exhibit K         Form of Term Loan Note
Exhibit L         Form of VCFC Assumption Agreement
Exhibit M         Form of Borrower's Loan Certificate
Exhibit N         Form of Subsidiary Loan Certificate
Exhibit O         Form of Performance Certificate
Exhibit P         Form of Assignment and Assumption Agreement
Schedule 1        Licenses
Schedule 2        Liens of Record as of the Agreement Date
Schedule 3        Subsidiaries
Schedule 4        Litigation
Schedule 5        Agreements with Affiliates
Schedule 6        Investments

The following schedules to the VCOC Security Agreement, filed as Exhibit 
4(d)(2) hereto, have been omitted. The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish
supplementally a copy of such omitted Schedule to the Commission upon request.

               Exhibit A          Licenses
               Exhibit B          Contracts
               Exhibit C          Leases

The following schedules to the Second Amended and Restated Master Subsidiary 
Security Agreement, filed as Exhibit 4(d)(3) hereto, have been omitted. The 
Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally a copy of any such 
omitted Schedule to the Commission upon request.

               Exhibit A          Licenses
               Exhibit B          Contracts
               Exhibit C          Leases

The following schedules to the Assignment, Bill of Sale and Assumption Agreement
filed as Exhibit 4(d)(4) hereto, have been omitted. The Registrant hereby
undertakes to furnish supplementally a copy of any such omitted Schedule to the
Commission upon request.

               Schedule A         List of Personal Property Assigned
               Schedule B         List of Agreements Assigned