<PAGE> 1
EXHIBIT 12.1
WILLIAMS COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
COMPUTATIONS OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES AND
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO COMBINED FIXED CHARGES AND
PREFERRED STOCK DIVIDEND REQUIREMENTS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Nine Months Ended
September 30, Year Ended December 31,
----------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
----------------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
(In thousands)
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Earnings:
Income (loss) before income taxes and
cumulative effect of change in
accounting principle $(152,000) $(367,472) $(190,826) $ (28,005) $ (3,146) $ 6,763
Add:
Interest expense-net 148,205 97,212 7,468 933 17,367 13,999
Rental expense representative
of interest factor 118,363 96,786 44,590 28,120 18,786 1,784
Minority interest income (loss) of
consolidated subsidiaries (34,979) (31,503) (15,645) 13,506 -- --
Equity losses 9,748 36,440 7,908 2,383 1,601 72
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total earnings (loss) as adjusted plus
fixed charges $ 89,337 $(168,537) $(146,505) $ 16,937 $ 34,608 $ 22,618
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
Fixed charges:
Interest expense-net $ 148,205 $ 97,212 $ 7,468 $ 933 $ 17,367 $ 13,999
Capitalized interest 116,172 39,518 11,182 7,781 -- --
Rental expense representative
of interest factor 118,363 96,786 44,590 28,120 18,786 1,784
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Total fixed charges 382,740 233,516 63,240 36,834 36,153 15,783
Preferred stock dividends and amortization
of preferred stock issuance costs 540 -- -- -- -- --
--------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------
Combined fixed charges and preferred
stock dividend requirements $ 383,280 $ 233,516 $ 63,240 $ 36,834 $ 36,153 $ 15,783
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges (a) (a) (a) (a) (a) 1.43x
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
Ratio of earnings to combined fixed charges
and preferred stock dividend
requirements (b) (b) (b) (b) (b) 1.43x
========= ========= ========= ========= ========= =========
</TABLE>
--------------------------------
(a) Earnings were inadequate to cover fixed charges by $293,403,000,
$402,053,000, $209,745,000, $19,897,000, and $1,545,000 for the nine months
ended September 30, 2000 (unaudited) and the years ended 1999, 1998, 1997,
and 1996, respectively.
(b) Earnings were inadequate to cover combined fixed charges and preferred
stock dividend requirements by $293,943,000, $402,053,000, $209,745,000,
$19,897,000, and $1,545,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2000
(unaudited) and the years ended 1999, 1998, 1997, and 1996, respectively.
