**EXHIBIT 12**

**BellSouth Corporation**

**Computation Of Earnings To Fixed Charges**

**(Dollars In Millions)**

 

 
|                                                                                                                                                        | **For the Three Months Ended**

**March 31,** |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|                                                                                                                                                        | **2005**                                      | **2006** |
| **Earnings**                                                                                                                                                |                                          |   |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Income from continuing operations before provision for income taxes, minority interest, discontinued operations, and cumulative effect of accounting change | $  1,037                                      | $  1,161 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Equity in (earnings) losses of unconsolidated affiliates                                                                                                    | 80                                            | (139) |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Portion of rental expense representative of interest factor                                                                                                 | 27                                            | 28 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Distributed income of equity affiliates                                                                                                                     | —                                        | — |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Interest expense                                                                                                                                            | 291                                           | 279 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Income, as adjusted                                                                                                                                         | $  1,435                                      | $  1,329 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| **Fixed Charges**                                                                                                                                           |                                          |   |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Interest expense                                                                                                                                            | $    291                                      | $    279 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Interest capitalized                                                                                                                                        | 2                                             | 3 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Portion of rental expense representative of interest factor                                                                                                 | 27                                            | 28 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| Fixed Charges                                                                                                                                               | $    320                                      | $   310 |
|                                                                                                                                                        |                                          |   |
| **Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges**                                                                                                                      | 4.48                                          | 4.29 |