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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.5

[LOGO OF MCLEODUSA APPEARS HERE]

                                              [PRESS RELEASE]


                    [LETTERHEAD OF MCLEODUSA APPEARS HERE]


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

           MCLEODUSA ACQUIRES DIAL US OF SPRINGFIELD

     Cedar Rapids, IA, April 30, 1998 - McLeodUSA Incorporated (Nasdaq/NMS:MCLD)
of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has signed a definitive agreement to purchase
substantially all assets of Dial US of Springfield, Missouri. The two companies
announced the agreement today at a press conference in Springfield. Terms of the
agreement were not disclosed. The transaction requires regulatory approval
before closing.


    Dial US began operations in 1983 and is a privately owned company. Dial US
was the first Missouri telecommunications provider to sign a network
interconnection agreement with Southwestern Bell to offer competitive local
service in the state. In addition to local service in the Springfield area where
Dial US has approximately 4,800 access lines, the company offers competitive
long distance and Internet services to nearly 7,800 customers in Missouri,
Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

    McLeodUSA is the first Super Regional Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (C-
LEC), serving business and residential customers in ten Midwest and Rocky
Mountain states. McLeodUSA provides integrated telecommunication services
including local, long distance, voice mail, paging and Internet access. The
Company is a facilities-oriented provider with nearly 5000 route miles of
network.

    Steve Gray, President and Chief Operating Officer of McLeodUSA, stated,
"Dial US offers similar services, is customer oriented, and has posted
remarkable customer share gains in Springfield, capturing 4,800 local lines in
only 13 months. The Dial US team understands the value of competition and shares
the same entrepreneurial spirit that our employees exhibit every day."

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    James Hedges, President of Dial US, added,"Developing Dial US has been a
tremendous experience. The telecommunications industry is exciting, but it's
difficult to gain critical mass in this era of consolidation. Rather than wait
to be approached by some other firm, we welcomed the opportunity to discuss a
relationship with McLeodUSA. The power of a Super Regional company is positive
for our community and our customers." Hedges is currently the sole owner of Dial
US. He will remain in a senior management position for McLeodUSA for a period of
two years.

    Gray added, "This acquisition will help speed our entry into local service
in Missouri markets and will help leverage our current sales organization in St.
Louis. Last month, the McLeodUSA Publishing division announced the acquisition
of the Springfield telephone directory formerly published by Bi-Rite. When the
new books come out in June, they will carry the Bi-Rite name for the final time.
Beginning mid-1999, the directories will carry our distinctive black cover and
gold star now appearing on nearly 15 million directories in 21 states. We
anticipate that our McLeodUSA directory will help strengthen the recognition of
the McLeodUSA name in southwestern Missouri."

    Dial US is the business name of Communications Cable-Laying Company,Inc of 
Springfield, Missouri.

    McLeodUSA is a provider of integrated telecommunications services to
businesses and residential customers. The Company's telecommunications customers
are located in ten Midwestern and Rocky Mountain States. The combined firm is a
14-state facilities-oriented telecommunications provider with 6 switches, and
more that 282,000 local lines, 4,500 employees and 4,900 route miles of fiber
optics network. In the next 12 months, the Company's publishing subsidiaries
will distribute over 14.8 million copies of competitive directories in 21
states, reaching a population of 26 million.

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