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            PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT


                         TDS Capital I


                 Dated as of November 18, 1997


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                             TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                 ARTICLE I
                        DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

          Section 1.1.  Definitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  1
          Section 1.2.  Interpretation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  5

                                 ARTICLE II
                             TRUST INDENTURE ACT

          Section 2.1.  Trust Indenture Act; Application . . . . . . .  5
          Section 2.2.  Lists of Holders of Preferred Securities . . .  6
          Section 2.3.  Reports by the Guarantee Trustee . . . . . . .  6
          Section 2.4.  Periodic Reports to Guarantee Trustee. . . . .  6
          Section 2.5.  Evidence of Compliance with Conditions
                           Precedent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  6
          Section 2.6.  Events of Default; Waiver. . . . . . . . . . .  7
          Section 2.7.  Events of Default; Notice. . . . . . . . . . .  7
          Section 2.8.  Conflicting Interests. . . . . . . . . . . . .  7

                                 ARTICLE III
                         POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
                              GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

          Section 3.1.  Powers and Duties of the Guarantee Trustee . .  7
          Section 3.2.  Certain Rights of Guarantee Trustee. . . . . .  9
          Section 3.3.  Not Responsible for Recitals or Issuance
                           of Guarantee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

                                 ARTICLE IV
                              GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

          Section 4.1.  Guarantee Trustee; Eligibility . . . . . . . . 12
          Section 4.2.  Appointment, Removal and Resignation of
                           Guarantee Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

                                 ARTICLE V
                                 GUARANTEE

          Section 5.1.  Guarantee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
          Section 5.2.  Waiver of Notice and Demand. . . . . . . . . . 14
          Section 5.3.  Obligations Not Affected . . . . . . . . . . . 14
          Section 5.4.  Rights of Holders. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
          Section 5.5.  Guarantee of Payment . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
          Section 5.6.  Subrogation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
          Section 5.7.  Independent Obligations. . . . . . . . . . . . 16


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                                 ARTICLE VI
                  LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION

          Section 6.1.  Limitation of Transaction. . . . . . . . . . 16
          Section 6.2.  Ranking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

                                 ARTICLE VII
                                 TERMINATION

          Section 7.1.  Termination. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

                                 ARTICLE VIII
                               INDEMNIFICATION

          Section 8.1.  Exculpation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
          Section 8.2.  Indemnification. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

                                 ARTICLE IX
                             SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

          Section 9.1.  Guarantor May Consolidate, Etc . . . . . . . 18
          Section 9.2.  Successor Corporation Substituted. . . . . . 20
          Section 9.3.  Evidence of Consolidation, Etc. to
                           Trustee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

                                 ARTICLE IX
                               MISCELLANEOUS

          Section 10.1.  Successors and Assigns. . . . . . . . . . . 21
          Section 10.2.  Amendments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
          Section 10.3.  Notices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
          Section 10.4.  Benefit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
          Section 10.5.  Governing Law . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22


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                 PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT


          THIS PREFERRED SECURITIES GUARANTEE AGREEMENT (this "Guarantee 
Agree ment"), dated as of November 18, 1997, is executed and delivered by 
TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC., an Iowa corporation (the "Guarantor"), and 
The First National Bank of Chicago, a national banking association duly 
organized and existing under the laws of the United States, as trustee (the 
"Guarantee Trustee"), for the benefit of the Holders (as defined herein) from 
time to time of the Preferred Securities (as defined herein) of TDS Capital 
I, a Delaware statutory business trust (the "ISSUER").

                           W I T N E S S E T H:

          WHEREAS, pursuant to an Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust 
(the "DECLARATION"), dated as of November 18, 1997, among the trustees of the 
Issuer, the Guarantor as Sponsor and the holders from time to time of 
undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer, the Issuer is 
issuing on the date hereof $150,000,000 aggregate stated liquidation amount 
of its 8.50% Trust Originated Preferred Securities (the "Preferred 
Securities"); and

          WHEREAS, as incentive for the Holders to purchase the Preferred 
Securities, the Guarantor desires irrevocably and unconditionally to agree, 
to the extent set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, to pay to the Holders of 
the Preferred Securities the Guarantee Payments (as defined herein) and to 
make certain other payments on the terms and conditions set forth herein;

          NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the purchase by each Holder of 
Preferred Securities, which purchase the Guarantor hereby agrees shall 
benefit the Guarantor, the Guarantor executes and delivers this Guarantee 
Agreement for the benefit of the Holders.

                                 ARTICLE I
                        DEFINITIONS AND INTERPRETATION

          SECTION 1.1.  DEFINITIONS.  In this Guarantee Agreement, unless the 
context otherwise requires:  (a) capitalized terms used in this Guarantee 
Agreement but not defined in the preamble above have the respective meanings 
as signed to them in this Section 1.1; (b) a term defined anywhere in this 
Guarantee Agreement has the same meaning throughout; and (c) a term defined 
in the Trust Indenture Act has the same meaning when used in this Guarantee 
Agreement unless otherwise defined in this Guarantee Agreement or unless the 
context otherwise requires.


                                       1



AFFILIATE:

          The term "Affiliate" has the same meaning as given to that term in 
Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or any successor rule thereunder.

BUSINESS DAY:

          The term "Business Day" means any day other than a day on which 
banking institutions in Chicago, Illinois or New York, New York are 
authorized or required by any applicable law to close.

COMMON SECURITIES:

          The term "Common Securities" means the securities representing 
common undivided beneficial interests in the assets of the Issuer.

COVERED PERSON:

          The term "Covered Person" means any Holder or beneficial owner of 
Preferred Securities.

EVENT OF DEFAULT:

          The term "Event of Default" means a default by the Guarantor on any 
of its payment or other obligations under this Guarantee Agreement.

GUARANTEE PAYMENTS:

          The term "Guarantee Payments" means the following payments or 
distributions, without duplication, with respect to the Preferred Securities, 
to the extent not paid or made by the Issuer:  (i) any accrued and unpaid 
Distributions (as defined in the Declaration) that are required to be paid on 
the Preferred Securities to the extent the Issuer shall have funds available 
therefor, (ii) the redemption price, including all accrued and unpaid Dis 
tributions to the date of redemption (the "Redemption Price") to the extent 
the Issuer has funds available therefor, with respect to any Preferred 
Securities called for redemption by the Issuer, and (iii) upon a voluntary or 
involuntary dissolution, winding-up or termination of the Issuer (other than 
in connection with the distribution of Subordinated Debentures to the Holders 
in exchange for Preferred Securities as provided in the Declaration), the 
lesser of (a) the aggregate of the liquidation amount and all accrued and 
unpaid Distributions on the Preferred Securities to the date of payment to 
the extent the Issuer has funds available therefor, and (b) the amount of 
assets of the Issuer remaining 


                                       2



available for distribution to Holders in liquidation of the Issuer (in either 
case, the "Liquidation Distribution").

GUARANTEE TRUSTEE:

          The term "Guarantee Trustee" means The First National Bank of 
Chicago, as trustee under this Guarantee Agreement, until a Successor 
Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has accepted such appointment 
pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement and thereafter means such 
Successor Guarantee Trustee.

GUARANTOR:

          The term "Guarantor" means Telephone and Data Systems, Inc., and 
its successor or successors by merger, consolidation or purchase of all or 
substantially all of its assets.

HOLDER:

          The term "Holder" shall mean any holder, as registered on the books 
and records of the Issuer, of any Preferred Securities; provided, however, 
that, in determining whether the holders of the requisite percentage of Pre- 
ferred Securities have given any request, notice, consent or waiver 
hereunder, "Holder" shall not include the Guarantor or any Affiliate of the 
Guarantor.

INDEMNIFIED PERSON:

          The term "Indemnified Person" means the Guarantee Trustee, any 
Affiliate of the Guarantee Trustee, or any officers, directors, shareholders, 
members, partners, employees, representatives or agents of the Guarantee 
Trustee.

INDENTURE:

          The term "Indenture" means the Indenture dated as of October 15, 
1997, between the Guarantor (the "Debenture Issuer") and The First National 
Bank of Chicago, as trustee, and any amendment thereto and any indenture 
supplemental thereto pursuant to which certain unsecured subordinated debt 
securities of the Debenture Issuer are to be issued to the Property Trustee 
of the Issuer.

MAJORITY IN LIQUIDATION AMOUNT OF THE SECURITIES:

          The term "Majority in liquidation amount of the Securities" means, 
except as provided by the Trust Indenture Act, a vote by Holder(s) of 
Preferred Securities, voting separately as a class, of more than 50% of the 
liquidation amount (including 


                                      3


the stated amount that would be paid on redemption, liquidation or maturity, 
plus accrued and unpaid Distributions to the date upon which the voting 
percentages are determined) of all Preferred Securities.

OFFICER'S CERTIFICATE:

          The term "Officer's Certificate" means, with respect to any Person, 
a certificate signed by an authorized officer of such Person.  Any Officer's 
Certificate delivered with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant 
provided for in this Guarantee Agreement shall include:

                    (a)  a statement that each such officer signing the
          Officer's Certificate has read the covenant or condition and the
          definition relating thereto;

                    (b)  a brief statement of the nature and scope of the
          examination or investigation undertaken by each such officer in
          rendering the Officer's Certificate;

                    (c)  a statement that each such officer has made such
          examination or investigation as, in such officer's opinion, is
          necessary to enable such officer to express an informed opinion as to
          whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

                    (d)  a statement as to whether, in the opinion of each such
          officer, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

PERSON:

          The term "Person" means any individual, corporation, partnership, 
limited liability company, joint venture, joint stock company, unincorporated 
association or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof, or 
any other entity of whatever nature.

RESPONSIBLE OFFICER:

          The term "Responsible Officer", when used with respect to the 
Guarantee Trustee, means the Chairman of the board of directors, the 
President, any Vice President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, any trust 
officer, any corporate trust officer or any other officer or assistant 
officer of the Guarantee Trustee customarily performing functions similar to 
those performed by any of the persons who at the time shall be such officers, 
respectively, or to whom any corporate trust matter is referred 


                                      4


because of that officer's knowledge of and familiarity with the particular 
subject.

SUBORDINATED DEBENTURES:

          The term "Subordinated Debentures" means the series of unsecured 
subordinated debt securities of the Guarantor designated the 8.50% Junior 
Subordinated Deferable Interest Debentures due December 31, 2037 held by the 
Property Trustee of the Issuer.

SUCCESSOR GUARANTEE TRUSTEE:

          The term "Successor Guarantee Trustee" means a successor Guarantee 
Trustee possessing the qualifications to act as Guarantee Trustee under 
Section 4.1.

TRUST INDENTURE ACT:

          The term "Trust Indenture Act" means the Trust Indenture Act of 
1939.

          SECTION 1.2.  INTERPRETATION.  Each definition in this Guarantee 
Agreement includes the singular and the plural, and references to the neuter 
gender include the masculine and feminine where appropriate.  Terms which 
relate to accounting matters shall be interpreted in accordance with 
generally accepted accounting principles in effect from time to time.  
References to any statute mean such statute as amended at the time and 
include any successor legislation.  The word "or" is not exclusive, and the 
words "herein," "hereof" and "hereunder" refer to this Guarantee Agreement as 
a whole.  The headings to the Articles and Sections are for convenience of 
reference and shall not affect the meaning or interpretation of this 
Guarantee Agreement.  References to Articles and Sections mean the Articles 
and Sections of this Guarantee Agreement unless otherwise specified.

                                 ARTICLE II
                             TRUST INDENTURE ACT

          SECTION 2.1.  TRUST INDENTURE ACT; APPLICATION.

          (a) This Guarantee Agreement is subject to the provisions of the 
Trust Indenture Act that are required to be part of this Guarantee Agreement 
and shall, to the extent applicable, be governed by such provisions.


                                      5


          (b)  If and to the extent that any provision of this Guarantee 
Agreement limits, qualifies or conflicts with the duties imposed by Sections 
310 to 317, inclusive, of the Trust Indenture Act, such imposed duties shall 
control.

          SECTION 2.2.  LISTS OF HOLDERS OF PREFERRED SECURITIES.

          (a) The Guarantor shall provide the Guarantee Trustee with a list, 
in such form as the Guarantee Trustee may reasonably require, of the names 
and addresses of the Holders of the Preferred Securities ("List of Holders") 
as of such date, (i) within ten Business Days after January 1 and June 30 of 
each year, and (ii) at any other time, within 30 days of receipt by the 
Guarantor of a written request for a List of Holders as of a date no more 
than 14 days before such List of Holders is given to the Guarantee Trustee, 
PROVIDED that the Guarantor shall not be obligated to provide such List of 
Holders at any time when the List of Holders does not differ from the most 
recent List of Holders given to the Guarantee Trustee by the Guarantor.  The 
Guarantee Trustee may destroy any List of Holders previously given to it on 
receipt of a new List of Holders.

          (b)  The Guarantee Trustee shall comply with its obligations under 
Section 311(a), 311(b) and Section 312(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

          SECTION 2.3.  REPORTS BY THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.  Within 60 days 
after May 15 of each year, the Guarantee Trustee shall provide to the Holders 
of the Preferred Securities such reports as are required by Section 313 of 
the Trust Indenture Act, if any, in the form and in the manner provided by 
Section 313 of the Trust Indenture Act.  The Guarantee Trustee shall also 
comply with the requirements of Section 313(d) of the Trust Indenture Act.

          SECTION 2.4.  PERIODIC REPORTS TO GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.  The Guarantor 
shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such documents, reports and 
information as required by Section 314 (if any) and the compliance 
certificate required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture Act in the form, 
in the manner and at the times required by Section 314 of the Trust Indenture 
Act.

          SECTION 2.5.  EVIDENCE OF COMPLIANCE WITH CONDITIONS PRECEDENT.  
The Guarantor shall provide to the Guarantee Trustee such evidence of 
compliance with any conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this 
Guarantee Agreement that relate to any of the matters set forth in Section 
314(c) of the Trust Indenture Act.  Any certificate or opinion required to be 
given by an officer pursuant to Section 314(c)(1) may be given in the form of 
an Officer's Certificate.


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          SECTION 2.6.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT; WAIVER.  The Holders of a Majority 
in liquidation amount of Preferred Securities may, by vote, on behalf of the 
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities, waive any past Event of Default 
and its consequences.  Upon such waiver, any such Event of Default shall 
cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to 
have been cured, for every purpose of this Guarantee Agreement, but no such 
waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other default or Event of Default or 
impair any right consequent thereon.

          SECTION 2.7.  EVENTS OF DEFAULT; NOTICE.

          (a)  The Guarantee Trustee shall, within 90 days after a 
Responsible Officer has knowledge of the occurrence of an Event of Default, 
transmit by mail, first class postage prepaid, to the Holders of the 
Preferred Securities, notices of all Events of Default known to the Guarantee 
Trustee, unless such defaults have been cured before the giving of such 
notice, provided, that the Guarantee Trustee shall be protected in 
withholding such notice if and so long as the board of directors, the 
executive committee, or a trust committee of directors and/or Responsible 
Officers of the Guarantee Trustee in good faith determines that the 
withholding of such notice is in the interests of the Holders of the 
Preferred Securities.

          (b)  The Guarantee Trustee shall not be deemed to have knowledge of 
any Event of Default unless the Guarantee Trustee shall have received written 
notice, or a Responsible Officer charged with the administration of the 
Declaration shall have obtained written notice, of such Event of Default.

          SECTION 2.8.  CONFLICTING INTERESTS.  The Declaration shall be 
deemed to be specifically described in this Guarantee Agreement for the 
purposes of clause (i) of the first proviso contained in Section 310(b) of 
the Trust Indenture Act.

                                 ARTICLE III
                          POWERS, DUTIES AND RIGHTS OF
                              GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

          SECTION 3.1.  POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.

          (a)  This Guarantee Agreement shall be held by the Guarantee 
Trustee for the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities, and the 
Guarantee Trustee shall not transfer this Guarantee Agreement to any Person 
except to a Holder of Preferred Securities exercising the rights of such 
Holder pursuant to 


                                      7


Section 5.4(b) or to a Successor Guarantee Trustee on acceptance by such 
Successor Guarantee Trustee of its appointment to act as Successor Guarantee 
Trustee.  The right, title and interest of the Guarantee Trustee shall 
automatically vest in any Successor Guarantee Trustee, and such vesting of 
title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been 
executed and delivered pursuant to the appointment of such Successor 
Guarantee Trustee.

          (b)  If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the 
Guarantee Trustee shall enforce this Guarantee Agreement for the benefit of 
the Holders of the Preferred Securities.

          (c)  The Guarantee Trustee, before the occurrence of any Event of 
Default and after the curing of all Events of Default that may have occurred, 
shall undertake to perform only such duties as are specifically set forth in 
this Guarantee Agreement, and no implied covenants shall be read into this 
Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee.  In case an Event of 
Default has occurred (that has not been cured or waived pursuant to Section 
2.6), the Guarantee Trustee shall exercise such of the rights and powers 
vested in it by this Guarantee Agreement, and use the same degree of care and 
skill in its exercise thereof, as a prudent person would exercise or use 
under the circumstances in the conduct of his or her own affairs.

          (d)  No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be construed to 
relieve the Guarantee Trustee from liability for its own negligent action, 
its own negligent failure to act, or its own willful misconduct, except that:

               (i)  prior to the occurrence of any Event of Default and
     after the curing or waiving of all such Events of Default that may
     have occurred:

                         (A)  the duties and obligations of the Guarantee
          Trustee shall be determined solely by the express provisions of
          this Guarantee Agreement, and the Guarantee Trustee shall not be
          liable except for the performance of such duties and obligations
          as are specifically set forth in this Guarantee Agreement, and
          no implied covenants or obligations shall be read into this
          Guarantee Agreement against the Guarantee Trustee; and

                         (B)  in the absence of bad faith on the part of
          the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee may conclusively
          rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of
          the opinions 


                                      8


          expressed therein, upon any certificates or opinions furnished to the
          Guarantee Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Guarantee
          Agreement; but in the case of any such certificates or opinions that
          by any provision hereof are specifically required to be furnished to
          the Guarantee Trustee, the Guarantee Trustee shall be under a duty to
          examine the same to determine whether or not they conform to the
          requirements of this Declaration;

               (ii)  the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable for any
     error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer of the
     Guarantee Trustee, unless it shall be proved that the Guarantee
     Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts upon which
     such judgment was made;

              (iii)  the Guarantee Trustee shall not be liable with
     respect to any action taken or omitted to be taken by it in good
     faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of not less
     than a Majority in liquidation amount of the Preferred Securities at
     the time outstanding relating to the time, method and place of
     conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee
     Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the
     Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement; and

               (iv)  no provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall
     require the Guarantee Trustee to expend or risk its own funds or
     otherwise incur personal financial liability in the performance of
     any of its duties or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers,
     if there is reasonable grounds for believing that the repayment of
     such funds or liability is not reasonably assured to it under the
     terms of this Guarantee Agreement or adequate indemnity against such
     risk or liability is not reasonably assured to it.

          SECTION 3.2.  CERTAIN RIGHTS OF GUARANTEE TRUSTEE.

          (a) Subject to the provisions of Section 3.1:

                (i)  The Guarantee Trustee may rely and shall be fully pro-
     tected in acting or refraining from acting upon any resolution,
     certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
     direction, consent, order, approval, bond, security or other paper or
     document believed by it to be genuine and to 


                                      9


     have been signed, sent or presented by the proper party or parties.

               (ii)  Any direction or act of the Guarantor contemplated by
     this Guarantee Agreement shall be sufficiently evidenced by a di-
     rection or an Officer's Certificate.

               (iii)  Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
     Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable that a matter
     be proved or established before taking, suffering or omitting any
     action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (unless other evidence is
     herein specifically prescribed) may, in the absence of bad faith on
     its part, request and rely upon an Officer's Certificate which, upon
     receipt of such request, shall be promptly delivered by the Guar-
     antor.

               (iv)  The Guarantee Trustee shall have no duty to see to
     any recording, filing or registration of any instrument (or any
     rerecording, refiling or reregistration thereof).

               (v)  The Guarantee Trustee may consult with counsel and the
     written advice or opinion of such counsel with respect to legal
     matters shall be full and complete authorization and protection in
     respect of any action taken or suffered or omitted by it hereunder in
     good faith and in accordance with such advice or opinion.  Such coun-
     sel may be counsel to the Guarantor or any of its Affiliates and may
     include any of its employees.  The Guarantee Trustee shall have the
     right at any time to seek instructions concerning the administration
     of this Guarantee Agreement from any court of competent jurisdiction.

               (vi)  The Guarantee Trustee shall be under no obligation to
     exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Guarantee
     Agreement at the request or direction of any Holder, unless such
     Holder shall have provided to the Guarantee Trustee reasonable
     security or indemnity against the costs, expenses (including
     attorneys' fees and expenses) and liabilities that might be incurred
     by it in complying with such request or direction, including such
     reasonable advances as may be requested by the Guarantee Trustee; pro-
     vided that, nothing contained in this Section 3.2(a)(vi) shall,
     however, relieve the Guarantee Trustee, upon the occurrence of an
     Event of 


                                      10


     Default, of its obligation to exercise the rights and powers vested in it
     by this Guarantee Agreement.

               (vii)  The Guarantee Trustee shall not be bound to make any
     investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution,
     certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request,
     direction, consent, order, approval, bond, security or other papers
     or documents, but the Guarantee Trustee, in its discretion, may make
     such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as
     it may see fit.

               (viii)  The Guarantee Trustee may execute any of the trusts
     or powers hereunder or perform any duties hereunder either directly
     or by or through agents or attorneys, and the Guarantee Trustee shall
     not be responsible for any misconduct or negligence on the part of
     any agent or attorney appointed with due care by it hereunder.

               (ix)  Any action taken by the Guarantee Trustee or its
     agents hereunder shall bind the Holders of the Preferred Securities,
     and the signature of the Guarantee Trustee or its agents alone shall
     be sufficient and effective to perform any such action.  No third
     party shall be required to inquire as to the authority of the
     Guarantee Trustee to so act or as to its compliance with any of the
     terms and provisions of this Guarantee Agreement, both of which shall
     be conclusively evidenced by the Guarantee Trustee's or its agent's
     taking such action.

               (x)  Whenever in the administration of this Guarantee
     Agreement the Guarantee Trustee shall deem it desirable to receive
     instructions with respect to enforcing any remedy or right or taking
     any other action hereunder, the Guarantee Trustee (i) may request in
     structions from the Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of
     the Preferred Securities, (ii) may refrain from enforcing such remedy
     or right or taking such other action until such instructions are re-
     ceived, and (iii) shall be protected in acting in accordance with
     such instructions.

          (b)  No provision of this Guarantee Agreement shall be deemed to 
impose any duty or obligation on the Guarantee Trustee to perform any act or 
acts or exercise any right, power, duty or obligation conferred or imposed on 
it in any jurisdiction in which it shall be illegal, or in which the 
Guarantee Trustee 


                                      11


shall be unqualified or incompetent in accordance with applicable law, to 
perform any such act or acts or to exercise any such right, power, duty or 
obligation.  No permissive power or authority available to the Guarantee 
Trustee shall be construed to be a duty.

          SECTION 3.3.  NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR RECITALS OR ISSUANCE OF 
GUARANTEE. The recitals contained in this Guarantee shall be taken as the 
statements of the Guarantor, and the Guarantee Trustee does not assume any 
responsibility for their correctness.  The Guarantee Trustee makes no 
representation as to the validity or sufficiency of this Guarantee Agreement.

                                 ARTICLE IV
                             GUARANTEE TRUSTEE

          SECTION 4.1.  GUARANTEE TRUSTEE; ELIGIBILITY.

          (a)  There shall at all times be a Guarantee Trustee which shall:

                (i)  not be an Affiliate of the Guarantor; and

               (ii)  be a corporation organized and doing business under the
     laws of the United States of America or any State or Territory thereof or
     of the District of Columbia, or a corporation or Person permitted by the
     Securities and Exchange Commission to act as an institutional trustee
     under the Trust Indenture Act, authorized under such laws to exercise
     corporate trust powers, having a combined capital and surplus of at least
     fifty million U.S. dollars ($50,000,000), and subject to supervision or
     examination by Federal, State, Territorial or District of Columbia
     authority.  If such corporation publishes reports of condition at least
     annually, pursuant to law or to the requirements of the supervising or
     examining authority referred to above, then, for the purposes of this
     Section 4.1(a)(ii), the combined capital and surplus of such corporation
     shall be deemed to be its combined capital and surplus as set forth in its
     most recent report of condition so published.

          (b)  If at any time the Guarantee Trustee shall cease to be 
eligible so to act under Section 4.1(a), the Guarantee Trustee shall 
immediately resign in the manner and with the effect set out in Section 
4.2(c).

                                      12


          (c)  If the Guarantee Trustee has or shall acquire any "conflicting 
interest" within the meaning of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act, 
the Guarantee Trustee and Guarantor shall in all respects comply with the 
provi sions of Section 310(b) of the Trust Indenture Act.

          SECTION 4.2.  APPOINTMENT, REMOVAL AND RESIGNATION OF GUARANTEE
TRUSTEE.

          (a) Subject to Section 4.2(b), the Guarantee Trustee may be 
appointed or removed without cause at any time by the Guarantor.

          (b)  The Guarantee Trustee shall not be removed in accordance with 
Section 4.2(a) until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has been appointed and has 
accepted such appointment by written instrument executed by such Successor 
Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor.

          (c)  The Guarantee Trustee appointed to office shall hold office 
until a Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed or until its 
removal or resignation.  The Guarantee Trustee may resign from office 
(without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing 
executed by the Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor, which 
resignation shall not take effect until a Successor Guarantee Trustee has 
been appointed and has accepted such appointment by instrument in writing 
executed by such Successor Guarantee Trustee and delivered to the Guarantor 
and the resigning Guarantee Trustee.

          (d)  If no Successor Guarantee Trustee shall have been appointed 
and accepted appointment as provided in this Section 4.2 within 60 days after 
delivery to the Guarantor of an instrument of resignation, the resigning 
Guarantee Trustee may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for 
appointment of a Successor Guarantee Trustee.  Such court may thereupon, 
after prescribing such notice, if any, as it may deem proper, appoint a 
Successor Guarantee Trustee.

                                 ARTICLE V
                                 GUARANTEE

          SECTION 5.1.  GUARANTEE.  The Guarantor irrevocably and 
unconditionally agrees to pay in full to the Holders the Guarantee Payments 
(without duplication of amounts theretofore paid by the Issuer), as and when 
due, regardless of any defense, right of set-off or counterclaim that the 
Issuer may have or assert.  The Guarantor's obligation to make a Guarantee 
Payment may be satisfied by direct payment of the required amounts by the 


                                      13


Guarantor to the Holders or by causing the Issuer to pay such amounts to the 
Holders.

          SECTION 5.2.  WAIVER OF NOTICE AND DEMAND.  The Guarantor hereby 
waives notice of acceptance of this Guarantee Agreement and of any liability 
to which it applies or may apply, presentment, demand for payment, any right 
to require a proceeding first against the Issuer or any other Person before 
proceeding against the Guarantor, protest, notice of nonpayment, notice of 
dishonor, notice of redemption and all other notices and demands.

          SECTION 5.3.  OBLIGATIONS NOT AFFECTED.  The obligations, 
covenants, agreements and duties of the Guarantor under this Guarantee 
Agreement shall in no way be affected or impaired by reason of the happening 
from time to time of any of the following:

          (a)  the release or waiver, by operation of law or otherwise, of the
     performance or observance by the Issuer of any express or implied agree-
     ment, covenant, term or condition relating to the Preferred Securities to
     be performed or observed by the Issuer;

          (b)  the extension of time for the payment by the Issuer of all or
     any portion of the Distributions, Redemption Price, Liquidation Distribu-
     tion or any other sums payable under the terms of the Preferred Securities
     or the extension of time for the performance of any other obligation
     under, arising out of, or in connection with, the Preferred Securities
     (other than an extension of time for payment of Distributions that results
     from the extension of any interest payment period on the Subordinated
     Debentures permitted by the Indenture);

          (c)  any failure, omission, delay or lack of diligence on the part of
     the Holders to enforce, assert or exercise any right, privilege, power or
     remedy conferred on the Holders pursuant to the terms of the Preferred
     Securities, or any action on the part of the Issuer granting indulgence or
     extension of any kind;

          (d)  the voluntary or involuntary liquidation, dissolution, sale of
     any collateral, receivership, insolvency, bankruptcy, assignment for the
     benefit of creditors, reorganization, arrangement, composition or readjust-
     ment of debt of, or other similar proceedings affecting, the Issuer or any
     of the assets of the Issuer;


                                      14


          (e)  any invalidity of, or defect or deficiency in, the Preferred
     Securities;

          (f)  the settlement or compromise of any obligation guaranteed hereby
     or hereby incurred; or

          (g)  any other circumstance whatsoever that might otherwise
     constitute a legal or equitable discharge or defense of a guarantor, it
     being the intent of this Section 5.3 that the obligations of the Guarantor
     hereunder shall be absolute and unconditional under any and all circum
     stances.

There shall be no obligation of the Holders to give notice to, or obtain 
consent of, the Guarantor with respect to the happening of any of the 
foregoing.

          SECTION 5.4.  RIGHTS OF HOLDERS.

          (a)  The Holders of a Majority in liquidation amount of the 
Preferred Securities have the right to direct the time, method and place of 
conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Guarantee Trustee 
in respect of this Guarantee Agreement or exercising any trust or power 
conferred upon the Guarantee Trustee under this Guarantee Agreement.

          (b)  If the Guarantee Trustee fails to enforce this Guarantee 
Agreement, any Holder of Preferred Securities may institute a legal 
proceeding directly against the Guarantor to enforce its rights under this 
Guarantee Agreement, without first instituting a legal proceeding against 
the Issuer, the Guarantee Trustee or any other Person.

          SECTION 5.5.  GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT.  This Guarantee Agreement 
creates a guarantee of payment and not of collection.

          SECTION 5.6.  SUBROGATION.  The Guarantor shall be subrogated to 
all (if any) rights of the Holders of Preferred Securities against the Issuer 
in respect of any amounts paid to such Holders by the Guarantor under this 
Guarantee Agreement; provided, however, that the Guarantor shall not (except 
to the extent required by mandatory provisions of law) be entitled to enforce 
or exercise any right that it may acquire by way of subrogation or any 
indemnity, reimbursement or other agreement, in all cases as a result of 
payment under this Guarantee Agreement, if, at the time of any such payment, 
any amounts are due and unpaid under this Guarantee Agreement.  If any amount 
shall be paid to the Guarantor in violation of the preceding sentence, the 
Guarantor agrees to hold such amount in trust for the Holders and to pay over 
such amount to the Holders.


                                      15


          SECTION 5.7.  INDEPENDENT OBLIGATIONS.  The Guarantor acknowledges 
that its obligations hereunder are independent of the obligations of the 
Issuer with respect to the Preferred Securities, and that the Guarantor shall 
be liable as principal and as debtor hereunder to make Guarantee Payments 
pursuant to the terms of this Guarantee Agreement notwithstanding the 
occurrence of any event referred to in subsections (a) through (g), 
inclusive, of Section 5.3 hereof.

                                 ARTICLE VI
                  LIMITATION OF TRANSACTIONS; SUBORDINATION

          SECTION 6.1.  LIMITATION OF TRANSACTION.  So long as any Preferred 
Securities remain outstanding, if there shall have occurred and be continuing 
an Event of Default or an event of default under the Declaration, then (a) 
the Guarantor shall not declare or pay any dividend on, or make any 
distribution with respect to, or redeem, purchase, acquire or make a 
liquidation payment with respect to, any of its capital stock (other than (i) 
purchases or acquisitions of shares of Guarantor common stock in connection 
with the satisfaction by the Guarantor of its obligations under any employee 
benefit plans or any other contractual obligations of the Guarantor (other 
than a contractual obligation ranking PARI PASSU, with or junior to the 
Subordinated Debentures), (ii) as a result of a reclassification of Company 
capital stock or the exchange or conversion of one class or series of Company 
capital stock for another class or series of Company capital stock or (iii) 
the purchase of fractional interests in shares of Company capital stock 
pursuant to the conversion or exchange provisions of such Company capital 
stock or the security being converted or exchanged), (b) the Guarantor shall 
not make any payment of interest, principal or premium, if any, on or repay, 
repurchase or redeem any debt securities (including guarantees) issued by the 
Guarantor which rank PARI PASSU with or junior to the Subordinated Debentures 
and (c) the Guarantor shall not make any guarantee payments with respect to 
the foregoing (other than pursuant to this Guarantee Agreement and other 
guarantee agreements entered into by the Guarantor with respect to preferred 
securities of any Affiliate of the Guarantor).

          SECTION 6.2.  RANKING.  This Guarantee Agreement will constitute an 
unsecured obligation of the Guarantor and will rank (i) subordinate and 
junior in right of payment to all other liabilities of the Guarantor, 
including the Subordinated Debentures, except those liabilities of the 
Guarantor made PARI PASSU or subordinate by their terms, (ii) PARI PASSU with 
the most senior preferred stock now or hereafter issued by the Guarantor and 
with any guarantee now or hereafter entered into by 


                                      16


the Guarantor in respect of any preferred securities of any Affiliate of the 
Guarantor, and (iii) senior to the Guarantor's common stock.

                                ARTICLE VII
                                TERMINATION

          SECTION 7.1.  TERMINATION.  This Guarantee Agreement shall 
terminate upon (i) full payment of the Redemption Price of all Preferred 
Securities, (ii) upon the distribution of the Subordinated Debentures to the 
Holders of all of the Preferred Securities or (iii) upon full payment of the 
amounts payable in accordance with the Declaration upon liquidation of the 
Issuer.  Notwith standing the foregoing, this Guarantee Agreement will 
continue to be effective or will be reinstated, as the case may be, if at any 
time any Holder must restore payment of any sums paid under the Preferred 
Securities or under this Preferred Securities Guarantee.

                                ARTICLE VIII
                              INDEMNIFICATION

          SECTION 8.1.  EXCULPATION.

          (a)  No Indemnified Person shall be liable, responsible or 
accountable in damages or otherwise to the Guarantor or any Covered Person 
for any loss, damage or claim incurred by reason of any act or omission 
performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person in good faith in accordance 
with this Guarantee Agreement and in a manner that such Indemnified Person 
reasonably believed to be within the scope of the authority conferred on such 
Indemnified Person by this Guarantee Agreement or by law, except that an 
Indemnified Person shall be liable for any such loss, damage or claim 
incurred by reason of such Indemnified Person's negligence or willful 
misconduct with respect to such acts or omissions.

          (b)  An Indemnified Person shall be fully protected in relying in 
good faith upon the records of the Guarantor and upon such information, 
opinions, reports or statements presented to the Guarantor by any Person as 
to matters the Indemnified Person reasonably believes are within such 
Person's professional or expert competence and who has been selected with 
reasonable care by or on behalf of the Guarantor, including information, 
opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, 
liabilities, profits, losses, or any other facts pertinent to the existence 
and amount of assets from which Distributions to Holders of Preferred 
Securities might properly be paid.


                                      17


          SECTION 8.2.  INDEMNIFICATION.

          (a)  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, the 
Guarantor shall indemnify and hold harmless each Indemnified Person from and 
against any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by 
reason of any act or omission performed or omitted by such Indemnified Person 
in good faith in accordance with this Guarantee Agreement and in a manner 
such Indemnified Person reasonably believed to be within the scope of 
authority conferred on such Indemnified Person by this Guarantee Agreement, 
except that no Indemnified Person shall be entitled to be indemnified in 
respect of any loss, damage or claim incurred by such Indemnified Person by 
reason of negligence or willful misconduct with respect to such acts or 
omissions.

          (b)  To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, expenses 
(including legal fees) incurred by an Indemnified Person in defending any 
claim, demand, action, suit or proceeding shall, from time to time, be 
advanced by the Guarantor prior to the final disposition of such claim, 
demand, action, suit or proceeding upon receipt by the Guarantor of an 
undertaking by or on behalf of the Indemnified Person to repay such amount if 
it shall be determined that the Indemnified Person is not entitled to be 
indemnified as authorized in Section 8.2(a).

                                 ARTICLE IX
                            SUCCESSOR CORPORATION

          SECTION 9.1.  GUARANTOR MAY CONSOLIDATE, ETC.  Nothing contained in 
this Guarantee Agreement shall prevent any consolidation or merger of the 
Guarantor with or into any other Person or Persons (whether or not affiliated 
with the Guarantor), or successive consolidations or mergers in which the 
Guarantor or its successor or successors shall be a party or parties, or 
shall prevent any sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition of the 
property of the Guarantor or its successor or successors as an entirety, or 
substantially as an entirety, to any other Person (whether or not affiliated 
with the Guarantor or its successor or successors) authorized to acquire and 
operate the same provided that (a) any Person formed in such consolidation or 
into which the Company is merged or to which the Company has sold, conveyed, 
transferred or otherwise disposed of its properties as an entirety or 
substantially as an entirety is an entity validly existing under the laws of 
the jurisdiction of its organization and such Person assumes the Company's 
obligations under this Guarantee Agreement and (b) immediately after giving 
effect to the transaction no Event of Default, and no event which, after 
notice or lapse of time or both, would become an Event of Default, shall have 
occurred and be continuing; PROVIDED,


                                      18


FURTHER, the Guarantor hereby covenants and agrees that, upon any such 
consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, transfer or other disposition, the 
due and punctual payment, performance and observance of all the covenants and 
conditions of this Guarantee Agreement to be paid, performed or observed by 
the Guarantor shall be expressly assumed, by supplemental indenture (which 
shall conform to the provisions of the Trust Indenture Act, as then in 
effect) satisfactory in form to the Trustee executed and delivered to the 
Trustee by the entity formed by such consolidation, or into which the 
Guarantor shall have been merged, or by the entity which shall have acquired 
such property; and provided further that, if the Person formed in such 
consolidation or into which the Company is merged or to which the Company has 
sold, conveyed, transferred or otherwise disposed of its properties as an 
entirety or substantially as an entirety is not organized and validly 
existing under the laws of the United States, any state thereof or the 
District of Columbia, the supplemental indenture described in this Section 
9.1 shall also contain the following provisions:

          "(a) [Such Person] hereby agrees to pay to the holders of Trust
     Securities any additional amounts as may be necessary in order that every
     net payment or other amount due on the Trust Securities, after withholding
     for or on account of any present or future tax, assessment or governmental
     charge imposed upon such holder of Trust Securities (except for a tax,
     assessment or charge imposed solely as a result of a connection between
     the recipient and the jurisdiction imposing such tax, assessment or
     charge) by reason of or as a result of such payment or other amount being
     paid by an entity which is not an entity existing under the laws of the
     United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia, will not
     be less than the amount provided for in the Indenture, the Trust
     Securities, the Guarantee Agreement or this Supplemental Indenture, as the
     case may be, to be then due and payable.

          (b)  Any litigation based hereon, or arising out of, under, or in
     connection with, the Guarantee Agreement and/or this Supplemental
     Indenture or any other document relating hereto or thereto, or any course
     of conduct, course of dealing, statements (whether verbal or written) or
     actions of the Trustee or [such Person] shall be brought and maintained
     exclusively in the courts of the State of Illinois or in the United States
     District Court for the Northern District of Illinois; PROVIDED, HOWEVER,
     that any suit seeking enforcement against any property may be brought at
     Trustee's or [such Person's] option, in the courts of any jurisdiction
     where such property may be found.  [Such Person] hereby expressly and
     irrevocably submits to the 


                                      19


     jurisdiction of the courts of the State of Illinois and of the United 
     States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois for the
     purpose of any such litigation as set forth above and irrevocably agrees 
     to be bound by any judgment rendered thereby in connection with such 
     litigation.  [Such Person] further irrevocably consents to the service of
     process by registered mail, postage prepaid, or by personal service within
     or without the State of Illinois.  [Such Person] hereby expressly and 
     irrevocably waives, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection
     which it may have or hereafter may have to the laying of venue of any such
     litigation brought in any such court referred to above and any claim that
     any such litigation has been brought in an inconvenient forum.  To the
     extent that [such Person] has or hereafter may acquire any immunity from
     jurisdiction of any court or from any legal process (whether through 
     service or notice, attachment prior to judgment, attachment in aid of 
     execution or otherwise) with respect to itself or its property, [such
     Person] hereby irrevocably waives such immunity in respect of its 
     obligations under the Guarantee Agreement and this Supplemental Indenture."

          SECTION 9.2.  SUCCESSOR CORPORATION SUBSTITUTED.

          (a)  In case of any such consolidation, merger, sale, conveyance, 
transfer or other disposition and upon the assumption by the successor 
Person, by supplemental indenture, executed and delivered to the Trustee and 
satisfactory in form to the Trustee, of the due and punctual payment, 
performance and observance of all of the covenants and conditions of this 
Guarantee Agreement to be paid, performed or observed by the Guarantor, such 
successor Person shall succeed to and be substituted for the Guarantor with 
the same effect as if it had been named as the Guarantor herein.

          (b)  Nothing contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall prevent 
the Guarantor from merging into itself or acquiring by purchase or otherwise 
all or any part of the property of any other Person (whether or not 
affiliated with the Guarantor).

          SECTION 9.3.  EVIDENCE OF CONSOLIDATION, ETC. TO TRUSTEE.  The 
Trustee, subject to the provisions of Section 3.01, may receive an opinion of 
counsel as conclusive evidence that any such consolidation, merger, sale, 
conveyance, transfer or other disposition, and any such assumption, comply 
with the provisions of this Article.


                                      20


                                 ARTICLE IX
                               MISCELLANEOUS

          SECTION 10.1.  SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS.  All guarantees and 
agreements contained in this Guarantee Agreement shall bind the successors, 
assigns, receivers, trustees and representatives of the Guarantor and shall 
inure to the benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities then 
outstanding.

          SECTION 10.2.  AMENDMENTS.  Except with respect to any changes that 
do not materially adversely affect the rights of Holders (in which case, no 
consent of Holders will be required), this Guarantee Agreement may only be 
amended with the prior approval of the Holders of at least 66-2/3% in 
liquidation amount of all the outstanding Preferred Securities.  The 
provisions of Section 12.2 of the Declaration with respect to meetings of 
Holders of the Preferred Securities apply to the giving of such approval.

          SECTION 10.3.  NOTICES.  All notices provided for in this Guarantee 
Agreement shall be in writing, duly signed by the party giving such notice, 
and shall be delivered, telecopied or mailed by registered or certified mail, 
as follows:

          (a)  If given to the Guarantee Trustee, at the Guarantee Trustee's
     mailing address set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantee
     Trustee may give notice of to the Holders of the Preferred Securities):

               The First National Bank of Chicago
               One First National Plaza, Suite 0126
               Chicago, Illinois  60670-0126
               Attention:  Corporate Trust Administration


          (b)  If given to the Guarantor, at the Guarantor's mailing address
     set forth below (or such other address as the Guarantor may give notice of
     to the Holders of the Preferred Securities):

               Telephone and Data Systems, Inc.
               30 N. LaSalle Street
               Chicago, Illinois 60602
               Attention:  President and Chief Executive Officer

          (c)  If given to any Holder of Preferred Securities, at the address
     set forth on the books and records of the Issuer.


                                      21


All such notices shall be deemed to have been given when received in person, 
telecopied with receipt confirmed, or mailed by first class mail, postage 
prepaid except that if a notice or other document is refused delivery or 
cannot be delivered because of a changed address of which no notice was 
given, such notice or other document shall be deemed to have been delivered 
on the date of such refusal or inability to deliver.

          SECTION 10.4.  BENEFIT.  This Guarantee Agreement is solely for the 
benefit of the Holders of the Preferred Securities and, subject to Section 
3.1(a), is not separately transferable from the Preferred Securities.

          SECTION 10.5.  GOVERNING LAW.  THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT SHALL BE 
GOVERNED BY, AND CONSTRUED AND INTERPRETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH, THE LAWS OF 
THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


                                      22


          THIS GUARANTEE AGREEMENT is executed as of the day and year first 
above written.


                              TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC.


                              By: _______________________
                                  Title:


                              THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CHICAGO, Not in its
                              individual capacity but solely as Guarantee
                              Trustee



                              By: _______________________
                                  Title: