<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
This  schedule  contains  summary  financial   information  extracted  from  the
consolidated  financial  statements of Telephone  and Data  Systems,  Inc. as of
March 31,  1999,  and for the three  months then ended,  and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
                    
<MULTIPLIER>                                     1,000
       
                                 
<PERIOD-TYPE>                       3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-1999
<CASH>                                          53,436
<SECURITIES>                                   509,912
<RECEIVABLES>                                  200,144
<ALLOWANCES>                                    12,442
<INVENTORY>                                     34,686
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                               397,423
<PP&E>                                       3,992,367
<DEPRECIATION>                               1,302,054
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               5,658,844
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                          603,191
<BONDS>                                      1,569,486
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                     24,029
<COMMON>                                           619
<OTHER-SE>                                   2,311,788
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                 5,658,844
<SALES>                                              0
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                               505,491
<CGS>                                                0
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                  476,257
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                               (22,239)
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                     0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                              36,774
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                 14,699
<INCOME-TAX>                                     4,299
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                             10,400
<DISCONTINUED>                                       0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                      0
<CHANGES>                                            0
<NET-INCOME>                                    10,400
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.16
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.16