UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. _______)*
Aliant Communications Inc.
(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
(Title of Class of Securities)
04501609010
(CUSIP Number)
Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement . (A
fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous
statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five percent
of the class of securities described in Item 1; and (2) has filed no
amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of five
percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7.)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of
securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which
would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be
deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).
<PAGE>
CUSIP No. 04501609010
1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
Sahara Enterprises, Inc.
51-0175245
2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP* (a) [_]
N/A (b) [_]
3 SEC USE ONLY
4 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
Delaware corporation
NUMBER OF 5 SOLE VOTING POWER
SHARES 3,176,776
6 SHARED VOTING POWER
BENEFICIALLY
None
OWNED BY
7 SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
EACH
3,176,776
REPORTING
8 SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
PERSON
None
WITH
9 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
3,176,776
10 CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN
SHARES* [_]
N/A
11 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (9)
8.8%
12 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
CO
*SEE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE FILLING OUT!
<PAGE>
Item 1.
(a) Name of Issuer Aliant Communications Inc.
(b) Address of Issuer's Principal Executive offices
1440 M Street, Lincoln, Nebraska 68501
Item 2.
(a) Name of Person Filing Sahara Enterprises, Inc.
(b) Address of Principal Business Office or, if none, Residence
3 First National Plaza, Suite 2000, Chicago, Illinois 60602
(c) Citizenship Delaware corporation
(d) Title of Class of Securities Common Stock
(e) CUSIP Number 04501609010
Item 3. If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b),
check whether the person filing is a:
(a) [_] Broker or Dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
(b) [_] Bank as defined in section 3(a)(6) of the Act
(c) [_] Insurance Company as defined in section 3(a)(19) of the act
(d) [_] Investment Company registered under section 8 of the Investment
Company Act
(e) [_] Investment Adviser registered under section 203 of the
Investment Advisers Act of 1940
(f) [_] Employee Benefit Plan, Pension Fund which is subject to the
provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act
of 1974 or Endowment Fund; see Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(F)
(g) [_] Parent Holding Company, in accordance with Section 240.13d-
1(b)(ii)(G) (Note: See Item 7)
(h) [_] Group, in accordance with Section 240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(H)
Item 4. Ownership
If the percent of the class owned, as of December 31 of the year covered
by the statement, or as of the last day of any month described in Rule
13d-1(b)(2), if applicable, exceeds five percent, provide the following
information as of that date and identify those shares which there is a
right to acquire.
(a) Amount Beneficially Owned 3,176,776
(b) Percent of Class 8.8%
(c) Number of shares as to which such person has:
(i) sole power to vote or to direct the vote 3,176,776
(ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote inapplicable
(iii) sole power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of 3,176,776
(iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the
disposition of inapplicable
Instruction: For computations regarding securities which represent a right
to acquire an underlying security see Rule 13d-3(d)(1).
Item 5. Ownership of Five percent or Less of a Class - N/A
If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting person has ceased to be the beneficial owner of more
than five percent of the class of securities, check the following [_].
Item 6. Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.
N/A
Item 7. Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired
the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company
N/A
Item 8. Identification and Classification of Members of the Group
N/A
Item 9. Notice of Dissolution of Group
N/A
Item 10. Certification
The following certification shall be included if the statement is filed
pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b):
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
the securities referred to above were acquired in the ordinary course of
business and were not acquired for the purpose of and do not have the
effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of such
securities and were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in
any transaction having such purposes or effect.
<PAGE>
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete
and correct.
1/29/98
Date
/s/ Charles N. Wheatley, President
Signature
Charles N. Wheatley, President
Name/Title
