EXHIBIT 24
 
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:
 
    WHEREAS, U S WEST Communications, Inc., a Colorado corporation (the
"Company"), proposes to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, under
the provisions of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, an annual
report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1998; and
 
    WHEREAS, each of the undersigned is an Officer, Director, or both, of the
Company and holds the office or offices indicated below his or her name;
 
    NOW THEREFORE, each of the undersigned constitutes and appoints ALLAN R.
SPIES, THOMAS O. MCGIMPSEY, and JILL A. GILPIN and each of them, as attorney for
him or her and in his or her name, place, and stead, and in his or her capacity
as an Officer or Director of the Company, to execute and file such annual
report, and thereafter to execute and file any amendment or amendments thereto
on Form 10-K, hereby giving and granting to said attorneys full power and
authority to do and perform all and every act and thing whatsoever requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises as fully, to all intents and
purposes, as he might or could do if personally present at the doing thereof,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys may or shall lawfully
do, or cause to be done, by virtue hereof.
 
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, each of the undersigned has executed this Power of
Attorney respectively on February 10, 1999 and March 22, 1999.
 
                                /s/ SOLOMON D. TRUJILLO
                                ------------------------------------------
                                Solomon D. Trujillo
                                PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND
                                DIRECTOR
 
                                /s/ ALLAN R. SPIES
                                ------------------------------------------
                                Allan R. Spies
                                VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                                AND DIRECTOR
 
                                /s/ JANET K. COOPER
                                ------------------------------------------
                                Janet K. Cooper
                                VICE PRESIDENT-TREASURER, CONTROLLER AND
                                DIRECTOR