<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> EXHIBIT 27 Appendix A to Item 601(c) of Regulation S-K Commercial and Industrial Companies Article 5 of Regulation S-X </LEGEND> <CIK> 0000023259 <NAME> CT COMMUNICATIONS <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> YEAR YEAR <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998 JAN-01-1997 <PERIOD-END> DEC-31-1998 DEC-31-1997 <CASH> 2,807,887 0 <SECURITIES> 116,681 168,979 <RECEIVABLES> 14,899,115 10,753,422 <ALLOWANCES> 107,500 100,000 <INVENTORY> 2,331,957 2,696,432 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 22,683,227 16,014,557 <PP&E> 194,501,417 173,378,861 <DEPRECIATION> 94,329,834 86,229,072 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 183,634,358 147,339,429 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 16,695,089 17,617,435 <BONDS> 20,000,000 11,239,000 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 125,000 137,500 <PREFERRED> 406,800 484,900 <COMMON> 35,748,327 29,040,745 <OTHER-SE> 83,428,061 67,442,808 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 183,634,358 147,339,429 <SALES> 0 0 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 91,725,394 78,483,514 <CGS> 0 0 <TOTAL-COSTS> 70,272,414 58,390,372 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 855,899 593,179 <LOSS-PROVISION> 433,747 381,757 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 1,491,635 985,275 <INCOME-PRETAX> 22,308,879 19,499,963 <INCOME-TAX> 8,926,469 7,898,159 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 13,382,410 11,601,804 <DISCONTINUED> 0 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 2,239,045 <CHANGES> 0 0 <NET-INCOME> 13,382,410 13,840,849 <EPS-PRIMARY> 1.45 1.52<F1> <EPS-DILUTED> 1.44 1.51 <FN> EPS-BASIC </FN>