Verizon Maryland Inc.



EXHIBIT 12





COMPUTATION OF RATIO OF
EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES



|(Dollars in Millions)                                                                            |  | Three Months Ended March 31, 2003 |       | Years Ended December 31,
|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |  | --------------------------------- | ----- | ------------------------
|                                                                                                 |  | 2002                              |       |                         
|                                                                                                
|Income before provision for income taxes and cumulative effect of change in accounting
principle |  | $                                 | 145.0 |                         
|Equity loss (income) from affiliate                                                              |  |                                   |      |                         
|Dividends received from equity affiliate                                                         |  |                                   | .2    |                         
|Interest expense                                                                                 |  |                                   | 19.3  |                         
|Portion of rent expense representing interest                                                    |  |                                   | 10.2  |                         
|Amortization of capitalized interest                                                             |  |                                   | .9    |                         
|                                                                                                 |  |                                   |       |                         
|Earnings, as adjusted                                                                            |  | $                                 | 175.6 |                         
|                                                                                                 |  |                                   |       |                         
|Fixed charges:                                                                                   |  |                                   |       |                         
|Interest expense                                                                                 |  | $                                 | 19.3  |                         
|Portion of rent expense representing interest                                                    |  |                                   | 10.2  |                         
|Capitalized interest                                                                             |  |                                   | 1.0   |                         
|                                                                                                 |  |                                   |       |                         
|Fixed charges                                                                                    |  | $                                 | 30.5  |                         
|                                                                                                 |  |                                   |       |                         
|Ratio of earnings to fixed charges                                                               |  |                                   | 5.76  |                         
|                                                                                                 |  |                                   |       |                         

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|(a) |  | Restated in accordance with Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 145, Rescission of FASB Statements No. 4, 44, and 64, Amendment of FASB Statement
No. 13, and Technical Corrections.
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