<PAGE>   1

     As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2001


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                                 RCN CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)


       DELAWARE                                                22-3498533
(State or Other Jurisdiction                                 (I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation                                             or Identification
Organization)                                                Number)

                               105 CARNEGIE CENTER
                           PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540
                                 (609) 734-3700
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
        including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                                 RCN CORPORATION
                   1997 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
                            (Full title of the plan)

                    JOHN J. JONES, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
                     GENERAL COUNSEL AND CORPORATE SECRETARY
                                 RCN CORPORATION
                               105 CARNEGIE CENTER
                           PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (609) 734-3700
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
<PAGE>   2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                   PROPOSED       PROPOSED
                                   MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM
                                   OFFERING       AGGREGATE
TITLE OF SHARES TO  AMOUNT TO BE   PRICE PER      OFFERING PRICE  AMOUNT OF
BE REGISTERED       REGISTERED     SHARE (1)      (1)             REGISTRATION FEE
<S>                 <C>            <C>            <C>             <C>
   Common Stock     400,000            $3.475       $1,390,000         $347.50
 ($1.00 par value)
</TABLE>


(1) Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee
pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") on the
basis of the last reported price of the registrant's Common Stock on August 30,
2001.

     Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
is being filed in order to register additional shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par
value per share, of RCN Corporation (the "Company"), with respect to a currently
effective Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the Company relating to certain
employee benefit plans of the Company.

     The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8 as filed on October
17, 1997, Registration No. 333-38317, are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

     The validity of the Common Stock registered hereunder has been passed upon
for the Company by John J. Jones, Esq., 105 Carnegie Center, Princeton, New
Jersey 08540. Mr. Jones is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary of the Company, and Mr. Jones owns 32,800 shares of Common
Stock and options to purchase 176,600 shares of Common Stock. The aforementioned
options to purchase include vested options to purchase 68,152 shares of Common
Stock and unvested options to purchase 108,448 shares of Common Stock.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
      Exhibit No.     Description
      -----------     -----------
<S>                   <C>
          5           Opinion of John J. Jones, Esquire

         23.1         Consent of Independent Accountants.

         23.2         Consent of John J. Jones, Esquire (included in Exhibit 5)

         24           Power of Attorney (See Signature Page at page 4)

</TABLE>



                                      -2-
<PAGE>   3
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Princeton, New Jersey, on August 30, 2001.


                                 RCN Corporation



                             By:  /s/ Timothy J. Stoklosa
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                   Timothy J. Stoklosa, Executive Vice President
                                   and Chief Financial Officer, the principal
                                   financial officer




                                      -3-
<PAGE>   4
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints David C. McCourt, Timothy J. Stoklosa and
John J. Jones, and each or any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their, his or her substitutes
or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.


Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/ David C. McCourt
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          David C. McCourt, Chairman and
                                          Chief Executive Officer, the principal
                                          executive officer


Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Timothy J. Stoklosa
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Timothy J. Stoklosa, Executive Vice
                                          President and Chief Financial Officer,
                                          principal financial officer


Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Ralph S. Hromisin
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Ralph S. Hromisin, Senior Vice
                                          President and Chief Accounting
                                          Officer, principal accounting officer


Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Michael A. Adams
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael A. Adams, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  James Q. Crowe
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          James Q. Crowe, Director




                                      -4-
<PAGE>   5
Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Alfred Fasola
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Alfred Fasola, Director



Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Stuart E. Graham
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Stuart E. Graham, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Edward S. Harris
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Edward S. Harris, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Richard R. Jaros
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Richard R. Jaros, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Michael J. Levitt
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael J. Levitt, Director


 Date: August 30, 2001                     /s/  Thomas May
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Thomas May, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Thomas P. O'Neill, III
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Thomas P. O'Neill, III, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Eugene Roth
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Eugene Roth, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  William D. Savoy
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          William D. Savoy, Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Walter Scott, Jr.
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Walter Scott, Jr., Director


Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Michael B. Yanney
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael B. Yanney, Director




                                      -5-
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{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "RCN CORP /DE/", "cik": "0001041858", "assigned-sic": "4813", "irs-number": "223498533", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-68794", "film-number": "1729208"}, "business-address": {"street1": "105 CARNEGIE CENTER", "city": "PRINCETON", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08540-6215", "phone": "6097343700"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "105 CARNEGIE CENTER", "street2": "C/O RCN CORP", "city": "PRINCETON", "state": "NJ", "zip": "08540-6215"}}
1

     As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 31, 2001

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, DC 20549

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 RCN CORPORATION
               (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

       DELAWARE                                                22-3498533
(State or Other Jurisdiction                                 (I.R.S. Employer
of Incorporation                                             or Identification
Organization)                                                Number)

                               105 CARNEGIE CENTER
                           PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540
                                 (609) 734-3700
               (Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
        including area code, of Registrant's principal executive offices)

                                 RCN CORPORATION
                   1997 STOCK PLAN FOR NON-EMPLOYEE DIRECTORS
                            (Full title of the plan)

                    JOHN J. JONES, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT,
                     GENERAL COUNSEL AND CORPORATE SECRETARY
                                 RCN CORPORATION
                               105 CARNEGIE CENTER
                           PRINCETON, NEW JERSEY 08540
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

                                 (609) 734-3700
          (Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
2
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
PROPOSED       PROPOSED
                                   MAXIMUM        MAXIMUM
                                   OFFERING       AGGREGATE
TITLE OF SHARES TO  AMOUNT TO BE   PRICE PER      OFFERING PRICE  AMOUNT OF
BE REGISTERED       REGISTERED     SHARE (1)      (1)             REGISTRATION FEE
Common Stock     400,000            $3.475       $1,390,000         $347.50
 ($1.00 par value)
(1) Estimated solely for the purposes of calculating the registration fee
pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Act") on the
basis of the last reported price of the registrant's Common Stock on August 30,
2001.

     Pursuant to General Instruction E of Form S-8, this Registration Statement
is being filed in order to register additional shares of Common Stock, $1.00 par
value per share, of RCN Corporation (the "Company"), with respect to a currently
effective Registration Statement on Form S-8 of the Company relating to certain
employee benefit plans of the Company.

     The contents of the Registration Statement on Form S-8 as filed on October
17, 1997, Registration No. 333-38317, are incorporated by reference into this
Registration Statement.

ITEM 5.  INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

     The validity of the Common Stock registered hereunder has been passed upon
for the Company by John J. Jones, Esq., 105 Carnegie Center, Princeton, New
Jersey 08540. Mr. Jones is Executive Vice President, General Counsel and
Corporate Secretary of the Company, and Mr. Jones owns 32,800 shares of Common
Stock and options to purchase 176,600 shares of Common Stock. The aforementioned
options to purchase include vested options to purchase 68,152 shares of Common
Stock and unvested options to purchase 108,448 shares of Common Stock.

ITEM 8.  EXHIBITS.
Exhibit No.     Description
      -----------     -----------
5           Opinion of John J. Jones, Esquire

         23.1         Consent of Independent Accountants.

         23.2         Consent of John J. Jones, Esquire (included in Exhibit 5)

         24           Power of Attorney (See Signature Page at page 4)
-2-
3
                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Princeton, New Jersey, on August 30, 2001.

                                 RCN Corporation

                             By:  /s/ Timothy J. Stoklosa
                                 -----------------------------------------------
                                   Timothy J. Stoklosa, Executive Vice President
                                   and Chief Financial Officer, the principal
                                   financial officer

                                      -3-
4
                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints David C. McCourt, Timothy J. Stoklosa and
John J. Jones, and each or any of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and
agent, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his
name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments
(including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to
file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection
therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do
and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in
and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or
could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said
attorneys-in-fact and agents, or any of them, or their, his or her substitutes
or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/ David C. McCourt
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          David C. McCourt, Chairman and
                                          Chief Executive Officer, the principal
                                          executive officer

Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Timothy J. Stoklosa
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Timothy J. Stoklosa, Executive Vice
                                          President and Chief Financial Officer,
                                          principal financial officer

Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Ralph S. Hromisin
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Ralph S. Hromisin, Senior Vice
                                          President and Chief Accounting
                                          Officer, principal accounting officer

Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  Michael A. Adams
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael A. Adams, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                    /s/  James Q. Crowe
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          James Q. Crowe, Director

                                      -4-
5
Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Alfred Fasola
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Alfred Fasola, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Stuart E. Graham
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Stuart E. Graham, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Edward S. Harris
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Edward S. Harris, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Richard R. Jaros
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Richard R. Jaros, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Michael J. Levitt
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael J. Levitt, Director

 Date: August 30, 2001                     /s/  Thomas May
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Thomas May, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Thomas P. O'Neill, III
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Thomas P. O'Neill, III, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Eugene Roth
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Eugene Roth, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  William D. Savoy
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          William D. Savoy, Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Walter Scott, Jr.
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Walter Scott, Jr., Director

Date:  August 30, 2001                     /s/  Michael B. Yanney
                                          --------------------------------------
                                          Michael B. Yanney, Director

                                      -5-