The Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549
Please note that United Telephone Company of Florida's consolidated
financial statements included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K
reflect a change in accounting principle. Specifically, effective
January 1, 1993, United Telephone Company of Florida changed its
method of accounting for postretirement benefits by adopting Statement
of Financial Accounting Standards No. 106, as described in Note 1 of
the "Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements." Except for this
change, the consolidated financial statements in the report reflect
no changes from the preceding year in accounting principles or
practices or in the method of applying any such principles or
practices.
Sincerely,
/s/ John I. Lehman
- ----------------------------------
John I. Lehman
Controller
United Telephone Company of Florida
Exhibit 12
UNITED TELEPHONE COMPANY OF FLORIDA
COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
(In Thousands)
<TABLE>
Years Ended December 31,
<CAPTION> -----------------------------------------------------
1993 (1) 1992 1991 1990 1989
--------- ---- ---- ---- -----
<S> <C> <C> <C> <C> <C>
Income before extraordinary $ 78,742 $ 99,118 $ 92,781 $ 102,414 $ 101,974
Capitalized interest (369) (1,154) (1,178) (1,558) (2,951)
Income tax provision 43,019 50,923 48,827 52,112 48,787
------ ------- ------- ------- -------
Subtotal 121,392 148,887 140,430 152,968 147,810
Fixed charges
Interest charges 36,388 37,941 38,183 40,437 38,249
Interest factor of operating 2,832 2,325 2,177 1,938 1,995
rents ------ ------ ------ ------ ------
Total fixed charges 39,220 40,266 40,360 42,375 40,244
------- ------- ------- ------- -------
Earnings, as adjusted $ 160,612 $ 189,153 $ 180,790 $ 195,343 $ 188,054
======= ======= ======= ======= =======
Ratio of earnings to fixed 4.10 4.70 4.48 4.61 4.67
charges
(1) In the absence of the Company's recognition of $51 million, ($31 million after taxes)
of nonrecurring merger and integration costs related to Sprint/Centel merger, income
before extraordinary item would have been $110 million and the ratio of earnings to
fixed charges would have been 5.40 for the twelve month period ended December 31, 1993.
NOTE: The above ratios have been computed by dividing fixed charges into the sum of (a) income
before extraordinary item less capitalized interest included in income, (b) income taxes, and
(c) fixed charges. Fixed charges consist of interest on all indebtedness (including amortization
of debt issuance expenses) and the related interest factor of operating rents.
</TABLE>
UNITED TELEPHONE COMPANY OF FLORIDA
1993 FORM 10-K
Exhibit 23
CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
The Board of Directors
United Telephone Company of Florida
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration
Statement (Form S-3 No. 33-51404) of United Telephone Company of
Florida and in the related Prospectus, pertaining to the registration
of First Mortgage Bonds, of our report dated January 21, 1994, with
respect to the consolidated financial statements and schedules of
United Telephone Company of Florida included in this Annual Report
(Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 1993.
ERNST & YOUNG
Kansas City, Missouri
March 30, 1994
