<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
    <periodOfReport>2003-07-31</periodOfReport>
    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000732717</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SBC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001185190</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CALLAWAY JAMES W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Group President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>
  <nonDerivativeTable>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-07-15</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
              <footnoteId id="F1" />
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>17020.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>D</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>39764.000</value>
              <footnoteId id="F2" />
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>D</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-07-31</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
              <footnoteId id="F3" />
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>325.296</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>23.360</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>2102.833</value>
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>By benefit plans</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
   <nonDerivativeTransaction>
      <securityTitle>
          <value>Common Stock</value>
      </securityTitle>
      <transactionDate>
          <value>2003-07-15</value>
      </transactionDate>
      <transactionCoding>
          <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
          <transactionCode>G</transactionCode>
          <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
      </transactionCoding>
      <transactionTimeliness>
      <value />
      </transactionTimeliness>
      <transactionAmounts>
          <transactionShares>
              <value>17020.000</value>
          </transactionShares>
          <transactionPricePerShare>
              <value>0</value>
          </transactionPricePerShare>
          <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
              <value>A</value>
          </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
      </transactionAmounts>
      <postTransactionAmounts>
          <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
              <value>29194.000</value>
              <footnoteId id="F4" />
          </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
      </postTransactionAmounts>
      <ownershipNature>
          <directOrIndirectOwnership>
              <value>I</value>
          </directOrIndirectOwnership>
          <natureOfOwnership>
              <value>By Joint Trust</value>
          </natureOfOwnership>
      </ownershipNature>
   </nonDerivativeTransaction>
  </nonDerivativeTable>
  <derivativeTable>
  </derivativeTable>
<footnotes>
   <footnote id="F1">Transfer of shares distributed from dividend reinvestment plan including automatic cash out of fractional interest.</footnote>
   <footnote id="F2">Includes 238.664 shares acquired on 5/1/03 at a price of $23.374 through reinvested dividends under dividend reinvestment plan.
</footnote>
   <footnote id="F3">Automatic purchase of shares through SBC Stock Savings Plan in the form of deferred stock units settled only in stock on a 1-for-
1 basis as provided for in the Plan.  </footnote>
   <footnote id="F4">Also beneficially holds SBC shares as follows: 21,484.266 by 401(k) (as of 6/30/2003); and 1,137.616 by PAYSOP</footnote>
</footnotes>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>JAMES W. CALLAWAY</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-08-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
    <ownerSignature>
       <signatureName>By: Joy Rick, Attorney-in-fact for James W. Callaway</signatureName>
       <signatureDate>2003-08-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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X0201
4
2003-07-31
0
0000732717
SBC COMMUNICATIONS INC
SBC
0001185190
CALLAWAY JAMES W
0
1
0
0
Group President
Common Stock
2003-07-15
4
G
0
17020.000
0
D
39764.000
D
Common Stock
2003-07-31
4
A
0
325.296
23.360
A
2102.833
I
By benefit plans
Common Stock
2003-07-15
4
G
0
17020.000
0
A
29194.000
I
By Joint Trust
Transfer of shares distributed from dividend reinvestment plan including automatic cash out of fractional interest.
Includes 238.664 shares acquired on 5/1/03 at a price of $23.374 through reinvested dividends under dividend reinvestment plan.
Automatic purchase of shares through SBC Stock Savings Plan in the form of deferred stock units settled only in stock on a 1-for-
1 basis as provided for in the Plan.
Also beneficially holds SBC shares as follows: 21,484.266 by 401(k) (as of 6/30/2003); and 1,137.616 by PAYSOP
JAMES W. CALLAWAY
2003-08-01
By: Joy Rick, Attorney-in-fact for James W. Callaway
2003-08-01