NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS INC
S-3/A, 1999-10-28
RADIOTELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
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<PAGE>   1


    AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON OCTOBER 28, 1999



                                                      REGISTRATION NO. 333-89429

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                            ------------------------


                                AMENDMENT NO. 1
                                     TO THE


                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                            ------------------------

                          NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

                                    DELAWARE
                        (State or Other Jurisdiction of
                         Incorporation or Organization)
                                   36-3939651
                                (I.R.S. Employer
                             Identification Number)

                            2001 EDMUND HALLEY DRIVE
                             RESTON, VIRGINIA 20191
                                 (703) 433-4000
  (Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of
                   Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)
                            ------------------------

                             THOMAS J. SIDMAN, ESQ.
                   SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                          NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
                            2001 EDMUND HALLEY DRIVE
                             RESTON, VIRGINIA 20191
                                 (703) 433-4000
 (Name, Address, Including Zip Code, and Telephone Number, Including Area Code,
                             of Agent For Service)
                            ------------------------

                                   Copies to:

                              LISA A. STATER, ESQ.
                           JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE
                              3500 SUNTRUST PLAZA
                              303 PEACHTREE STREET
                          ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30308-3242
                                 (404) 521-3939
                           ANDREW R. SCHLEIDER, ESQ.
                              SHEARMAN & STERLING
                              599 LEXINGTON AVENUE
                            NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10022
                                 (212) 848-4000

APPROXIMATE DATE OF COMMENCEMENT OF PROPOSED SALE TO THE PUBLIC: as soon as
practicable following the effective date of this registration statement.

    If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered
pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following
box.  [ ]

    If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on
a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box.  [ ]

    If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering
pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box
and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier
effective registration statement for the same offering.  [ ]

    If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c)
under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act
registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement
for the same offering.  [ ]

    If delivery of the prospectus is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box.  [ ]

    THE REGISTRANT HEREBY AMENDS THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON SUCH DATE OR
DATES AS MAY BE NECESSARY TO DELAY ITS EFFECTIVE DATE UNTIL THE REGISTRANT SHALL
FILE A FURTHER AMENDMENT WHICH SPECIFICALLY STATES THAT THIS REGISTRATION
STATEMENT SHALL THEREAFTER BECOME EFFECTIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 8(a) OF
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 OR UNTIL THIS REGISTRATION STATEMENT SHALL BECOME
EFFECTIVE ON SUCH DATE AS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION, ACTING
PURSUANT TO SAID SECTION 8(a), MAY DETERMINE.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   2

                                    PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

        The following table sets forth the various expenses and costs to be
incurred by Nextel Communications, Inc. in connection with the sale and
distribution of the securities offered hereby. All the amounts shown are
estimated except the Securities and Exchange Commission registration fee.


<TABLE>
<S>                                                             <C>
Securities and Exchange Commission filing fee...............    $586,200
NASD fee....................................................    $ 30,500
Printing expenses...........................................    $150,000
Legal fees and expenses.....................................    $100,000
Accounting fees and expenses................................    $ 30,000
Blue Sky fees and expenses..................................    $  5,000
Transfer Agent fees and expenses............................    $  3,500
Miscellaneous expenses......................................    $    800
                                                                --------
Total.......................................................    $906,000
                                                                ========
</TABLE>


- ---------------


Item 15. Indemnification of Directors and Officers


        Set forth below is a description of certain provisions of the Restated
Certificate of Incorporation, as amended (the "Nextel Charter"), of Nextel
Communications, Inc. ("Nextel"), the Amended and Restated By-laws of Nextel (the
"Nextel By-laws"), and the Delaware General Corporation Law (the "DGCL"). This
description is intended as a summary only and is qualified in its entirety by
reference to the Nextel Charter, the Nextel By-laws, and the DGCL.

        ELIMINATION OF LIABILITY IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES. The Nextel Charter
provides that, to the full extent provided by law, a director will not be
personally liable to Nextel or its stockholders for or with respect to any acts
or omissions in the performance of his or her duties as a director. The DGCL
provides that a corporation may limit or eliminate a director's personal
liability for monetary damages to the corporation or its stockholders, except
for liability (1) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to such
corporation or its stockholders, (2) for acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (3) for
paying a dividend or approving a stock repurchase in violation of Section 174 of
the DGCL or (4) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper
personal benefit.

        While Article 7 of the Nextel Charter provides directors with protection
from awards for monetary damages for breaches of the duty of care, it does not
eliminate the directors' duty of care. Accordingly, Article 7 will have no
effect on the availability of equitable remedies such as an injunction or
rescission based on a director's breach of the duty of care. The provisions of
Article 7 as described above apply to officers of Nextel only if they are
directors of Nextel and are acting in their capacity as directors, and do not
apply to officers of Nextel who are not directors.

        INDEMNIFICATION AND INSURANCE. Under the DGCL, directors and officers as
well as other employees and individuals may be indemnified against expenses
(including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines, and amounts paid in settlement in
connection with specified actions, suits, or proceedings, whether civil,
criminal, administrative, or investigative (other than an action by or in the
right of the corporation as a derivative action) if they acted in good faith and
in a manner they reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interest of the corporation and, with respect to any criminal action or
proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful.

                                      II-1
<PAGE>   3

        Article 6 of the Nextel Charter and Article VII of the Nextel By-laws
provide to directors and officers indemnification to the full extent provided by
law, thereby affording the directors and officers of Nextel the protections
available to directors and officers of Delaware corporations. Article VII of the
Nextel By-laws also provides that expenses incurred by a person in defending a
civil or criminal action, suit or proceeding by reason of the fact that he or
she is or was a director or officer shall be paid in advance of the final
disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by
or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such amount if it shall
ultimately be determined that he or she is not entitled to be indemnified by
Nextel as authorized by relevant Delaware law. Nextel has obtained directors and
officers liability insurance providing coverage to its directors and officers.

        On September 12, 1991, the Board of Directors of Nextel unanimously
adopted resolutions authorizing Nextel to enter into an Indemnification
Agreement (the "Indemnification Agreement") with each director of Nextel. Nextel
has entered into an Indemnification Agreement with each of its directors and
officers.

        One of the purposes of the Indemnification Agreements is to attempt to
specify the extent to which persons entitled to indemnification thereunder (the
"Indemnitees") may receive indemnification under circumstances in which
indemnity would not otherwise be provided by the DGCL. Pursuant to the
Indemnification Agreements, an Indemnitee is entitled to indemnification as
provided by Section 145 of the DGCL and to indemnification for any amount which
the Indemnitee is or becomes legally obligated to pay relating to or arising out
of any claim made against such person because of any act, failure to act, or
neglect or breach of duty, including any actual or alleged error, misstatement,
or misleading statement, which such person commits, suffers, permits, or
acquiesces in while acting in the Indemnitee's position with Nextel. The
Indemnification Agreements are in addition to and are not intended to limit any
rights of indemnification which are available under the Nextel Charter or the
Nextel By-laws, any policy of insurance or otherwise. Nextel is not required
under the Indemnification Agreements to make payments in excess of those
expressly provided for in the DGCL in connection with any claim against the
Indemnitee:

        (1) which results in a final, nonappealable order directing the
            Indemnitee to pay a fine or similar governmental imposition which
            Nextel is prohibited by applicable law from paying; or

        (2) based upon or attributable to the Indemnitee gaining in fact a
            personal profit to which he was not legally entitled including,
            without limitation, profits made from the purchase and sale by the
            Indemnitee of equity securities of Nextel which are recoverable by
            Nextel pursuant to Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of
            1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and profits arising from
            transactions in publicly traded securities of Nextel which were
            effected by the Indemnitee in violation of Section 10(b) of the
            Exchange Act or Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.

        In addition to the rights to indemnification specified therein, the
Indemnification Agreements are intended to increase the certainty of receipt by
the Indemnitee of the benefits to which he or she is entitled by providing
specific procedures relating to indemnification.

        The Indemnification Agreements are also intended to provide increased
assurance of indemnification by prohibiting Nextel from adopting any amendment
to the Nextel Charter or the Nextel By-laws which would have the effect of
denying, diminishing or encumbering the Indemnitee's rights pursuant thereto or
to the DGCL or any other law as applied to any act or failure to act occurring
in whole or in part prior to the effective date of such amendment.

                                      II-2
<PAGE>   4

Item 16. Exhibits


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
   -------                       -----------------------
<C>      <C>   <S>
   *1.1    --  Form of Underwriting Agreement.
  4.1.1    --  Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Nextel (filed on
               July 31, 1995 as Exhibits No. 4.1.1 and 4.1.2 to Nextel's
               Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 on Form S-8 to Registration
               Statement No. 33- 91716 on Form S-4 (the "Nextel S-8
               Registration Statement") and incorporated herein by
               reference).
  4.1.2    --  Certificate of Designation of the Powers, Preferences and
               Relative, Participating, Optional and Other Special Rights
               of 13% Series D Exchangeable Preferred Stock and
               Qualifications, Limitations and Restrictions Thereof (filed
               on July 21, 1997 as Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on
               Form 8-K dated on July 21, 1997 and incorporated herein by
               reference).
  4.1.3    --  Certificate of Designation of the Powers, Preferences and
               Relative, Participating, Optional and the Special Rights of
               11.125% Series E Exchangeable Preferred Stock and
               Qualifications, Limitations and Restrictions Thereof (filed
               on February 12, 1998 as Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on
               Form 8-K dated on February 11, 1998 (the "February 11 Form
               8-K") and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.1.4    --  Certificate of Designation of the Powers, Preferences and
               Relative, Participating, Optional and Other Special Rights
               of Zero Coupon Convertible Preferred Stock due 2013 and
               Qualifications, Limitations and Restrictions Thereof (filed
               on February 10, 1999 as Exhibit 4.16 to Nextel's
               Registration Statement on Form S-4 (the "February 1999 Form
               S-4") and incorporated herein by reference).
    4.2    --  Amended and Restated By-laws of Nextel (filed on July 31,
               1995 as Exhibit No. 4.2 to the Nextel S-8 Registration
               Statement and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.3.1    --  Indenture between Nextel Communications, Inc. (predecessor
               by merger to Nextel; referred to as "Old Nextel") and The
               Bank of New York, as Trustee, dated August 15, 1993 (the
               "August Indenture") (filed on December 23, 1993 as Exhibit
               4.13 to Old Nextel's Registration Statement No. 33-73388 on
               Form S-4 and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.3.2    --  Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30 1995, to the
               August Indenture between Nextel and The Bank of New York
               (filed on November 14, 1995 as Exhibit 4.1 to Nextel's
               Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended
               September 30, 1995 (the "November 14 Form 10-Q") and
               incorporated herein by reference).
  4.3.3    --  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 28, 1995, to
               the August Indenture between ESMR, Inc. (now known as
               Nextel), as Successor by Merger to Old Nextel and The Bank
               of New York (relating to the August Indenture) (filed on
               November 14, 1995 as Exhibit 4.3 to the November 14 Form
               10-Q and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.3.4    --  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 13, 1997, to
               the August Indenture between Nextel Communications, Inc. and
               The Bank of New York, as Trustee (filed on June 17, 1997 as
               Exhibit 4.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K dated June 13,
               1997 (the "June 13 Form 8-K") and incorporated herein by
               reference).
  4.3.5    --  Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated March 24, 1998, to the
               August Indenture between Nextel Communications, Inc. and The
               Bank of New York, as Trustee (filed on May 13, 1998 as
               Exhibit 4.3 to Nextel's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for
               the quarter ended March 31, 1998 (the "May 13 Form 10-Q")
               and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.4.1    --  Indenture between Old Nextel and the Bank of New York, as
               Trustee, dated as of February 15, 1994 (the "February
               Indenture") (filed on March 1, 1994 as Exhibit 4.1 to Old
               Nextel's Current Report on Form 8-K dated February 16, 1994
               and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.4.2    --  Supplemental Indenture dated as of June 30, 1995 to the
               February Indenture between Old Nextel and The Bank of New
               York (filed on November 14, 1995 as Exhibit 4.2 to the
               November 14 Form 10-Q) and incorporated herein by reference.
</TABLE>


                                      II-3
<PAGE>   5

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
   -------                       -----------------------
<C>      <C>   <S>
  4.4.3    --  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 28, 1995, to
               the February Indenture between ESMR, Inc. (now known as
               Nextel), as Successor by Merger to Old Nextel and The Bank
               of New York (relating to the February Indenture) (filed on
               November 14, 1995 as Exhibit 4.4 to the November 14, 1995
               Form 10-Q) and incorporated herein by reference.
  4.4.4    --  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 13, 1997, to
               the February Indenture between Nextel Communications, Inc.,
               and The Bank of New York, as Trustee (filed on June 17, 1997
               as Exhibit 4.2 to the June 13 Form 8-K and incorporated
               herein by reference).
  4.5.1    --  Indenture for Senior Redeemable Discount Notes due 2004,
               dated as of January 13, 1994, between OneComm Corporation
               (formerly called CenCall Communications Corp.) and The Bank
               of New York (the "OneComm Indenture") (filed on June 7, 1995
               as Exhibit 99.2 to Nextel's Registration Statement No.
               33-93182 on Form S-4 (the "OneComm S-4 Registration
               Statement") and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.5.2    --  Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 1995, to the
               OneComm Indenture between OneComm Corporation (formerly
               called CenCall Communications Corp.) and The Bank of New
               York (filed on November 14, 1995 as Exhibit 10.12 to the
               November 14 Form 10-Q and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.5.3    --  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of July 28, 1995, to
               the OneComm Indenture between Nextel (formerly known as
               ESMR, Inc.), as successor to OneComm Corporation and The
               Bank of New York (filed on November 14, 1995 as Exhibit
               10.13 to the November 14 Form 10-Q and incorporated herein
               by reference).
  4.5.4    --  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 13, 1997, to
               the OneComm Indenture between Nextel and The Bank of New
               York (filed on June 17, 1997 as Exhibit 4.5 to the June 13
               Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.6.1    --  Indenture for Senior Redeemable Discount Notes due 2004,
               dated as of April 25, 1994, between Dial Call
               Communications, Inc. and The Bank of New York (the "Dial
               Call 2004 Indenture") (filed on June 7, 1995 as Exhibit 99.4
               to the OneComm S-4 Registration Statement and incorporated
               herein by reference).
  4.6.2    --  Supplemental Indenture, dated as of August 7, 1995, to the
               Dial Call 2004 Indenture between Dial Call Communications,
               Inc. and The Bank of New York (filed on December 5, 1995 as
               Exhibit 99.3 to the Nextel's Registration Statement No.
               33-80021 on Form S-4 (the "Dial Page S-4 Registration
               Statement") and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.6.3    --  Second Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 30, 1996,
               to the Dial Call 2004 Indenture between Dial Page, Inc. (as
               successor to Dial Call Communications, Inc.) and The Bank of
               New York (filed on April 1, 1996 as Exhibit 4.26 to Nextel's
               Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
               1995 (the "1995 Form 10-K") and incorporated herein by
               reference).
  4.6.4    --  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 30, 1996,
               to the Dial Call 2004 Indenture between Nextel (as successor
               to Dial Page, Inc.) and The Bank of New York (filed on April
               1, 1996 as Exhibit 4.27 to the 1995 Form 10-K and
               incorporated herein by reference).
  4.6.5    --  Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 13, 1997, to
               the Dial Call 2004 Indenture between Nextel and The Bank of
               New York (filed on June 17, 1997 as Exhibit 4.3 to the June
               13 Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.6.6    --  Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated March 24, 1998, to the
               Dial Call 2004 Indenture between Nextel and The Bank of New
               York (filed on May 13, 1998 as Exhibit 4.4 to the May 13
               Form 10-Q and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.7.1    --  Indenture for Senior Discount Notes due 2005, dated as of
               December 22, 1993, between Dial Call Communications, Inc.
               and The Bank of New York (the "Dial Call 2005 Indenture")
               (filed as Exhibit 99.3 to the OneComm S-4 Registration
               Statement and incorporated herein by reference).
</TABLE>

                                      II-4
<PAGE>   6

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
   -------                       -----------------------
<C>      <C>   <S>
  4.7.2    --  Supplemental Indenture, dated as of April 25, 1994, to the
               Dial Call 2005 Indenture between Dial Call Communications,
               Inc. and The Bank of New York (filed on April 1, 1996 as
               Exhibit 4.29 to the 1995 Form 10-K and incorporated herein
               by reference).
  4.7.3    --  Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 30, 1995, to the
               Dial Call 2005 Indenture between Dial Call Communications,
               Inc. and The Bank of New York (filed on December 5, 1995 as
               Exhibit 99.4 to the Dial Page S-4 Registration Statement and
               incorporated herein by reference.
  4.7.4    --  Third Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 30, 1996,
               to the Dial Call 2005 Indenture between Dial Page Inc. (as
               successor to Dial Call Communications, Inc.) and The Bank of
               New York (filed on April 1, 1996 as Exhibit 4.31 to the 1995
               Form 10-K and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.7.5    --  Fourth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 30, 1996,
               to the Dial Call 2005 Indenture between Nextel (as successor
               to Dial Page, Inc.) and The Bank of New York (filed on April
               1, 1996 as Exhibit 4.32 to the 1995 Form 10-K and
               incorporated herein by reference).
  4.7.6    --  Fifth Supplemental Indenture, dated as of June 13, 1997, to
               the Dial Call 2005 Indenture between Nextel and The Bank of
               New York (filed on June 17, 1997 as Exhibit 4.4 to the June
               13 Form 8-K and incorporated herein by reference).
  4.8.1    --  Indenture for Senior Discount Notes due 2007, dated as of
               March 6, 1997, between McCaw International, Ltd. (now known
               as Nextel International) and The Bank of New York, as
               Trustee (the "NI 2007 Indenture") (filed on March 31, 1997
               as Exhibit 4.24 to Nextel's Annual Report on Form 10-K for
               the year ended December 31, 1996 (the "1996 Form 10-K") and
               incorporated herein by reference).
  4.8.2    --  Warrant Agreement, dated as of March 6, 1997, between McCaw
               International, Ltd. and The Bank of New York (filed on March
               31, 1997 as Exhibit 4.26 to the 1996 Form 10-K and
               incorporated herein by reference).
    4.9    --  Indenture dated September 17, 1997 between Nextel
               Communications, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
               Trustee, relating to Nextel's 10.65% Senior Redeemable
               Discount Notes due 2007 (filed on September 22, 1997 as
               Exhibit 4.1 to Nextel's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
               September 22, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference).
   4.10    --  Indenture dated as of October 22, 1997 between Nextel
               Communications, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
               Trustee, relating to Nextel's 9.75% Senior Serial Redeemable
               Discount Notes due 2007 (filed on October 23, 1997 as
               Exhibit 4.1 to Nextel's Current Report on Form 8-K dated
               October 23, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference).
   4.11    --  Indenture dated as of February 11, 1998, between Nextel
               Communications, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
               Trustee, relating to Nextel's Senior Serial Redeemable
               Discount Notes due 2008 (filed on February 12, 1998 as
               Exhibit 4.2 to the February 11 Form 8-K and incorporated
               herein by reference).
   4.12    --  Indenture dated as of November 4, 1998 between Nextel
               Communications, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
               Trustee, relating to Nextel's 12.0% Senior Serial Redeemable
               Notes due 2008 (filed on February 10, 1999 as Exhibit 4.13.1
               to the February 1999 S-4 and incorporated herein by
               reference).
   4.13    --  Indenture for Senior Discount Notes due 2008, dated March
               12, 1998 between Nextel International, Inc. and The Bank of
               New York (filed on May 14, 1998 as Exhibit 4.1 to Nextel
               International Inc.'s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
               quarter ended March 31, 1998 and incorporated herein by
               reference).
   4.14    --  Registration Rights Agreement, dated December 23, 1998, by
               and between Nextel, Goldman, Sachs & Co., Morgan Stanley &
               Co., Incorporated and Nationsbanc Montgomery Securities LLC
               (filed on March 30, 1999 as Exhibit 4.13 to Nextel's Annual
               Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
               1998 (the "1998 Form 10-K") and incorporated herein by
               reference).
</TABLE>

                                      II-5
<PAGE>   7


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   EXHIBIT
   NUMBER                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS
   -------                       -----------------------
<C>      <C>   <S>
 4.15.1    --  Credit Agreement dated as of March 12, 1998 among Nextel,
               NFC, the Restricted Companies party thereto, the Lenders
               party thereto, Toronto Dominion (Texas) Inc., as
               Administrative Agent, and The Chase Manhattan Bank as
               Collateral Agent (filed as Exhibit 4.12 to Nextel's Annual
               Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 1997 and
               incorporated herein by reference).
 4.15.2    --  Amendment No. 1 dated as of October 28, 1998, amending the
               Credit Agreement dated as of March 12, 1998, between Nextel
               Communications, Inc., Nextel Finance Company, the other
               restricted companies party thereto, the lenders party
               thereto and the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent
               (filed on October 29, 1998, as Exhibit 4.1 to Nextel's
               Current Report on Form 8-K dated October 28, 1998 and
               incorporated herein by reference).
 4.15.3    --  Amendment No. 2, dated as of December 21, 1998, amending the
               Credit Agreement dated as of March 12, 1998, between Nextel
               Communications, Inc., Nextel Finance Company, the other
               restricted companies parties thereto, the lenders party
               thereto and the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent
               (filed on March 30, 1999 as Exhibit 4.14.3 to the 1998 Form
               10-K and incorporated herein by reference).
 4.15.4    --  Amendment No. 3, dated as of March 23, 1999, amending the
               Credit Agreement dated as of March 12, 1998, between Nextel
               Communications, Inc., Nextel Finance Company, the other
               restricted companies parties thereto, the lenders thereto
               and the Administrative Agent and Collateral Agent (filed on
               May 17, 1999 as Exhibit 4.1 to the Quarterly Report on Form
               10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1999 and incorporated
               herein by reference.)
   4.16    --  Indenture, dated as of June 16, 1999, between Nextel
               Communications, Inc. and Harris Trust and Savings Bank, as
               Trustee, relating to Nextel's 4 3/4% Convertible Senior
               Notes due 2007 (filed on June 23, 1999 as Exhibit 4.1 to the
               Current Report on Form 8-K dated and filed with the
               Commission on June 23, 1999 and incorporated herein by
               reference.)
   *5.1    --  Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue regarding validity.
   *8.1    --  Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue regarding tax
               consequences.
   23.1    --  Consent of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue (included in Exhibits
               5.1 and 8.1).
  *23.2    --  Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP.
 **24.1    --  Powers of Attorney.
</TABLE>


- ---------------

 *Filed herewith.

**Previously filed.


Item 17. Undertakings

        (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the
registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

        (b) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise,
the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and
Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed
in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction

                                      II-6
<PAGE>   8

the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as
expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.

        (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that:

             (i) For the purpose of determining any liability under the
        Securities Act of 1933, the information omitted from the form of
        prospectus filed as part of this registration statement in reliance upon
        Rule 430A and contained in a form of prospectus filed by the registrant
        pursuant to Rule 424(b)(1) or (4) or 497(h) under the Securities Act
        shall be deemed to be part of this registration statement as of the time
        it was declared effective.

             (ii) For the purpose of determining any liability under the
        Securities Act of 1933, each post-effective amendment that contains a
        form of prospectus shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
        relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such
        securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide
        offering thereof.

                                      II-7
<PAGE>   9

                                   SIGNATURES


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing this amendment no. 1 on Form S-3 and has duly
caused this amendment no. 1 to the registration statement to be signed on its
behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Reston, in
the Commonwealth of Virginia, on October 28, 1999.


                                       Nextel Communications, Inc.

                                              By: /s/ Thomas J. Sidman
                                                  -------------------------
                                                    Thomas J. Sidman
                                                    Senior Vice President and
                                                    General Counsel


        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
amendment no. 1 to the registration statement has been signed below by the
following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated:



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
               NAME                                 TITLE                       DATE
               ----                                 -----                       ----
<S>                                  <C>                                  <C>
*                                    Chairman of the Board and Director
- -----------------------------------
Daniel F. Akerson

*                                    President, Chief Executive Officer
- -----------------------------------  and Director
Timothy M. Donahue

*                                    Executive Vice President and Chief
- -----------------------------------  Financial Officer (Principal
Steven M. Shindler                   Financial Officer)

*                                    Vice President and Controller
- -----------------------------------  (Principal Accounting Officer)
William G. Arendt

*                                    Vice Chairman of the Board and
- -----------------------------------  Director
Morgan E. O'Brien

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
Keith J. Bane

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
William E. Conway

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
Frank M. Drendel

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
William A. Hoglund

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
Craig O. McCaw

*                                    Director
- -----------------------------------
Dennis M. Weibling

                                     Attorney-in-fact                     October 28, 1999
/s/ Thomas J. Sidman
- -----------------------------------
Thomas J. Sidman
</TABLE>


                                      II-8
<PAGE>   10

                                 EXHIBIT INDEX


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  EXHIBIT
    NO.                        DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBITS                       PAGE
  -------                      -----------------------                       ----
<C>          <S>                                                             <C>
     *1.1    -- Form of Underwriting Agreement
     *5.1    -- Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue regarding validity
                of the shares offered.
     *8.1    -- Opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue regarding tax
                consequences.
     23.1    -- Consent of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue (included in
                Exhibits 5.1 and 8.1).
    *23.2    -- Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP
   **24.1    -- Powers of Attorney.
</TABLE>


- ---------

 *Filed herewith

**Previously filed.


                                      II-9

<PAGE>   1
                                                                     Exhibit 1.1

                                     FORM OF






                                28,750,000 SHARES

                           NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                     CLASS A COMMON STOCK ($.001 PAR VALUE)




                             UNDERWRITING AGREEMENT

[__________], 1999


<PAGE>   2




                                                           [_____________], 1999

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
Goldman, Sachs & Co.
Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation
Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated
PaineWebber Incorporated
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
    1585 Broadway
    New York, New York  10036

Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited
Goldman Sachs International
Credit Suisse First Boston (Europe) Limited
Deutsche Bank AG London
Merrill Lynch International
PaineWebber International (U.K.)  Ltd.
c/o Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited
    25 Cabot Square
    Canary Wharf
    London E14 4QA
    England

Dear Sirs and Mesdames:

         Nextel Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "COMPANY"),
proposes to issue and sell to the several Underwriters (as defined below)
25,000,000 shares of its Class A Common Stock, par value $.001 per share (the
"FIRM SHARES"). It is understood that, subject to the conditions hereinafter
stated, 20,000,000 Firm Shares (the "U.S. FIRM SHARES") will be sold to the
several U.S. Underwriters named in Schedule I hereto (the "U.S. UNDERWRITERS")
in connection with the offering and sale of such U.S. Firm Shares in the United
States and Canada to United States and Canadian Persons (as such terms are
defined in the Agreement Between U.S. and International Underwriters of even
date herewith), and 5,000,000 Firm Shares (the "INTERNATIONAL SHARES") will be
sold to the several International Underwriters named in Schedule II hereto (the
"INTERNATIONAL UNDERWRITERS") in connection with the offering and sale of such
International Shares outside the United States and Canada to persons other than
United States and Canadian Persons. Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated, Goldman,
Sachs & Co., Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation, Deutsche Bank Securities
Inc., Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith



<PAGE>   3



Incorporated and PaineWebber Incorporated shall act as representatives (the
"U.S. REPRESENTATIVES") of the several U.S. Underwriters, and Morgan Stanley &
Co. International, Limited Goldman Sachs International, Credit Suisse First
Boston (Europe) Limited, Deutsche Bank AG London, Merrill Lynch International
and PaineWebber International (U.K.) Ltd. shall act as representatives (the
"INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES") of the several International Underwriters. The
U.S. Underwriters and the International Underwriters are hereinafter
collectively referred to as the Underwriters.

         The Company also proposes to issue and sell to the several U.S.
Underwriters not more than an additional 3,750,000 shares of its Class A Common
Stock, par value $.001 per share (the "ADDITIONAL SHARES") if and to the extent
that the U.S. Representatives shall have determined to exercise, on behalf of
the U.S. Underwriters, the right to purchase such shares of common stock granted
to the U.S. Underwriters in Section 2 hereof. The Firm Shares and the Additional
Shares are hereinafter collectively referred to as the "SHARES." The shares of
Class A Common Stock, par value $.001 per share, of the Company to be
outstanding after giving effect to the sales contemplated hereby are hereinafter
referred to as the "COMMON STOCK."

         The Company has filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the
"COMMISSION") a registration statement relating to the Shares. The registration
statement contains two prospectuses to be used in connection with the offering
and sale of the Shares: the U.S. prospectus, to be used in connection with the
offering and the sale of Shares in the United States and Canada to United States
and Canadian Persons, and the international prospectus, to be used in connection
with the offering and sale of Shares outside the United States and Canada to
persons other than United States and Canadian Persons. The international
prospectus is identical to the U.S. prospectus except for the outside front
cover page. The registration statement as amended at the time it becomes
effective, including the information (if any) deemed to be part of the
registration statement at the time of effectiveness pursuant to Rule 430A under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "SECURITIES ACT"), is hereinafter
referred to as the "REGISTRATION STATEMENT"; the U.S. prospectus and the
international prospectus in the respective forms first used to confirm sales of
Shares, including the documents incorporated by reference therein, is
hereinafter referred to as the "PROSPECTUS." The terms "supplement,"
"amendment," and "amend" and correlative words as used herein with respect to
the term "Prospectus" shall include the filing, subsequent to the date of the
Prospectus, with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), of all
documents deemed to be incorporated by reference in the Prospectus. If the
Company has filed an abbreviated registration statement to register additional
shares of Common Stock pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act (the
"RULE 462 REGISTRATION STATEMENT"), then any reference herein to the term
"REGISTRATION STATEMENT" shall be deemed to include such Rule 462 Registration
Statement.

         1. Representations and Warranties. The Company represents and warrants
to and agrees with each of the Underwriters that:

                                        2


<PAGE>   4



                  (a) The Registration Statement has become effective; no stop
         order suspending the effectiveness of the Registration Statement is in
         effect, and no proceedings for such purpose are pending before or
         threatened by the Commission.

                  (b) (i) Each document, if any, filed or to be filed pursuant
         to the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus
         complied or will comply when so filed in all material respects with the
         Exchange Act and the applicable rules and regulations thereunder, (ii)
         The Registration Statement, when it became effective, did not contain
         and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will not contain any
         untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
         required to be stated therein or necessary to make the statements
         therein not misleading, (iii) the Registration Statement and the
         Prospectus comply and, as amended or supplemented, if applicable, will
         comply in all material respects with the Securities Act and the
         applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder and (iv)
         the Prospectus does not contain and, as amended or supplemented, if
         applicable, will not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or
         omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements therein,
         in the light of the circumstances under which they were made, not
         misleading, except that the representations and warranties set forth in
         this paragraph do not apply to statements or omissions in the
         Registration Statement or the Prospectus based upon information
         relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such
         Underwriter through you expressly for use therein.

                  (c) The Company has been duly incorporated, is validly
         existing as a corporation in good standing under the laws of the
         jurisdiction of its incorporation, has the corporate power and
         authority to own its property and to conduct its business as described
         in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to transact business and is in
         good standing in each jurisdiction in which the conduct of its business
         or its ownership or leasing of property requires such qualification,
         except to the extent that the failure to be so qualified or be in good
         standing would not have a material adverse effect on the condition,
         financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or operations of
         the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole (a "MATERIAL ADVERSE
         EFFECT").

                  (d) Each of the subsidiaries of the Company listed on SCHEDULE
         III (each, a "SUBSIDIARY" and collectively, the "SUBSIDIARIES") has
         been duly incorporated, is validly existing as a corporation in good
         standing under the laws of the jurisdiction of its incorporation, has
         the corporate power and authority to own its property and to conduct
         its business as described in the Prospectus and is duly qualified to
         transact business and is in good standing in each jurisdiction in which
         the conduct of its business or its ownership or leasing of property
         requires such qualification, except to the extent that the failure to
         be so qualified or be in good standing would not have a Material
         Adverse Effect.

                  (e) This Agreement has been duly authorized, executed and
         delivered by the Company.

                                        3


<PAGE>   5



                  (f) The authorized capital stock of the Company conforms as to
         legal matters to the description thereof contained in the Prospectus.

                  (g) The shares of Common Stock outstanding prior to the
         issuance of the Shares have been duly authorized and are validly
         issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

                  (h) The Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued and
         delivered in accordance with the terms of this Agreement, will be
         validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable, and the issuance of such
         Shares will not be subject to any preemptive or similar rights.

                  (i) The financial statements, together with the related
         schedules and notes, included or incorporated by reference in the
         Prospectus present fairly the financial position of the Company and its
         consolidated subsidiaries at the dates indicated and the statements of
         income, changes in shareholders' equity and cash flows of the Company
         and its consolidated subsidiaries for the periods specified (subject,
         in the case of unaudited financial statements, to normal year-end
         adjustments); said financial statements have been prepared in
         conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles
         ("GAAP") applied on a consistent basis throughout the periods involved.

                  (j) The execution and delivery by the Company of, and the
         performance by the Company of its obligations under, this Agreement
         will not contravene any provision of applicable law or the certificate
         of incorporation or by-laws of the Company or any agreement or other
         instrument binding upon the Company or any of its subsidiaries, or any
         judgment, order or decree of any governmental body, agency or court
         having jurisdiction over the Company or any subsidiary, and no consent,
         approval, authorization or order of, or qualification with, any
         governmental body or agency is required for the performance by the
         Company of its obligations under this Agreement, except such as may be
         required by the securities or Blue Sky laws of the various states in
         connection with the offer and sale of the Shares, except where such
         contravention or failure to obtain such consent, individually or in the
         aggregate, would not have a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (k) There has not occurred any material adverse change, or any
         development involving a prospective material adverse change, in the
         condition, financial or otherwise, or in the earnings, business or
         operations of the Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole, from
         that set forth in the Prospectus.

                  (l) There are no legal or governmental proceedings, including,
         without limitation, those of the Federal Communications Commission,
         pending or threatened to which the Company or any of its subsidiaries
         is a party or to which any of the properties of the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries is subject, that are required to be described in the
         Registration Statement or the Prospectus and are not so described or
         any statutes, regulations, contracts or other documents that are
         required to be described in the

                                        4


<PAGE>   6



         Registration Statement or the Prospectus or to be filed as exhibits to
         the Registration Statement that are not described or filed as required.

                  (m) Each preliminary prospectus filed as part of the
         registration statement as originally filed or as part of any amendment
         thereto, or filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act,
         complied when so filed in all material respects with the Securities Act
         and the applicable rules and regulations of the Commission thereunder.

                  (n) The Company is not and, after giving effect to the
         offering and sale of the Shares and the application of the proceeds
         thereof as described in the Prospectus, will not be an "investment
         company" as such term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940,
         as amended.

                  (o) Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is in
         violation of its charter or by-laws; neither the Company nor any of its
         subsidiaries is in default in the performance or observance of any
         obligation, agreement, covenant or condition contained in any contract,
         indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, loan or credit agreement, note,
         lease or other agreement or instrument to which the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries is a party or by which it or any of them may be bound,
         or to which any of the property or assets of the Company or any
         subsidiary is subject except for such defaults that would not result in
         a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (p) The Company and its subsidiaries own or have the right to
         use, or can acquire or obtain the right to use on reasonable terms,
         adequate patents, patent rights, licenses, inventions, copyrights,
         know-how (including trade secrets and other unpatented and/or
         unpatentable proprietary or confidential information, systems or
         procedures), trademarks, service marks, trade names or other
         intellectual property (collectively, "INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY") necessary
         to carry on the business now operated by them, except where the failure
         to own or have the right to use such Intellectual Property would not,
         singly or in the aggregate, have a Material Adverse Effect, and except
         as described in the Prospectus. Neither the Company nor any of its
         subsidiaries has received any notice or is otherwise aware of any
         infringement of or conflict with asserted rights of others with respect
         to any Intellectual Property or of any facts or circumstances which
         would render any Intellectual Property invalid or inadequate to protect
         the interest of the Company or any of its subsidiaries therein, and
         which infringement or conflict (if the subject of any unfavorable
         decision, ruling or finding) or invalidity or inadequacy, singly or in
         the aggregate, would result in a Material Adverse Effect.

                  (q) Except as described in the Prospectus, the Company and
         each of its subsidiaries possess such waivers, consents, approvals,
         licenses, certificates, franchises, authorizations, permits and orders
         (collectively, "LICENSES") of the appropriate governmental or
         regulatory agencies or bodies (including, without limitation, all
         waivers, licenses and authorizations to develop, implement and operate
         analog specialized mobile

                                        5


<PAGE>   7



         radio networks and its Digital Mobile Network (as such term is defined
         in the Prospectus) as described, and in such manner as is described, in
         the Prospectus) as are necessary to own their properties and to conduct
         their business as currently conducted by them as described in the
         Prospectus, and neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries has
         received any notice of proceedings relating to the revocation or
         modification of, or denial of any application for, any License referred
         to above which, singly or in the aggregate, if the subject of an
         unfavorable decision, ruling or finding, have a Material Adverse
         Effect.

                  (r) The accountants who certified the financial statements and
         supporting schedules for the Company incorporated by reference in the
         Prospectus are independent public accountants as required by the
         Securities Act and the Exchange Act.

                  (s) The Company and its subsidiaries have timely filed all
         renewal applications with respect to all Licenses possessed by any of
         them, except where the failure to so file would not have a Material
         Adverse Effect; no protests or competing applications have been filed
         with respect to such renewal applications except for such protests or
         competing applications as would not have a Material Adverse Effect, and
         nothing has come to the Company|s attention that would lead them to
         conclude that such renewal applications will not be granted by the
         appropriate regulatory agency or body in the ordinary course, except as
         the failure to obtain such a grant would not have a Material Adverse
         Effect; and the Company and its subsidiaries are authorized under the
         Communications Act of 1934 and the rules and regulations promulgated
         thereunder, to continue to provide the services which are the subject
         of such renewal applications during the pendency thereof.

                  (t) There are no contracts, agreements or understandings
         between the Company and any person granting such person the right to
         require the Company to file a registration statement under the
         Securities Act with respect to any securities of the Company or to
         require the Company to include such securities with the Shares
         registered pursuant to the Registration Statement, other than such
         rights as have been waived.

         2. Agreements to Sell and Purchase. The Company hereby agrees to sell
to the several Underwriters, and each Underwriter, upon the basis of the
representations and warranties herein contained, but subject to the conditions
hereinafter stated, agrees, severally and not jointly, to purchase from the
Company the respective numbers of Firm Shares set forth in Schedules I and II
hereto opposite its name at $[______] a share (the "PURCHASE PRICE").

         On the basis of the representations and warranties contained in this
Agreement, and subject to its terms and conditions, the Company agrees to sell
to the U.S. Underwriters the Additional Shares, and the U.S. Underwriters shall
have a one-time right to purchase, severally and not jointly, up to 3,750,000
Additional Shares at the Purchase Price. If the U.S. Representatives, on behalf
of the U.S. Underwriters, elect to exercise such option, the U.S.
Representatives shall so notify the Company in writing not later than 30 days
after the date of this Agreement, which notice shall be an irrevocable and
binding commitment on the part of the U.S.

                                        6


<PAGE>   8



Underwriters subject to the terms hereof and shall specify the number of
Additional Shares to be purchased by the U.S. Underwriters and the date on which
such shares are to be purchased. Such date may be the same as the Closing Date
(as defined below) but not earlier than the Closing Date nor later than ten
business days after the date of such notice. Additional Shares may be purchased
as provided in Section 4 hereof solely for the purpose of covering
overallotments made in connection with the offering of the Firm Shares. If any
Additional Shares are to be purchased, each U.S. Underwriter agrees, severally
and not jointly, to purchase the number of Additional Shares (subject to such
adjustments to eliminate fractional shares as the U.S. Representatives may
determine) that bears the same proportion to the total number of Additional
Shares to be purchased as the number of U.S. Firm Shares set forth in Schedule I
hereto opposite the name of such U.S. Underwriter bears to the total number of
U.S. Firm Shares.

         The Company hereby agrees that, without the prior written consent of
Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated on behalf of the Underwriters, it will not,
during the period commencing on the date hereof and ending 90 days after the
date of the Prospectus, (i) offer, pledge, sell, contract to sell, sell any
option or contract to purchase, purchase any option or contract to sell, grant
any option, right or warrant to purchase, lend, or otherwise transfer or dispose
of, directly or indirectly, any shares of Common Stock or any securities
convertible into or exercisable or exchangeable for Common Stock or (ii) enter
into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in
part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of the Common Stock, whether
any such transaction described in clause (i) or (ii) above is to be settled by
delivery of Common Stock or such other securities, in cash or otherwise. The
foregoing sentence shall not apply to (A) the Shares to be sold hereunder, (B)
the issuance of shares of Common Stock upon the exercise of an option or warrant
or the conversion of a security outstanding on the date hereof of which the
Underwriters have been advised in writing, (C) the granting of any options,
deferred shares or other equity awards under the Company|s equity incentive
plan, so long as such options do not vest and become exercisable or such
deferred share or other awards do not vest, in each case, in the absence of
extraordinary events or occurrences beyond the control of the grantee or
recipient, until after the expiration of such 90-day period or (D) the issuance
of shares of Common Stock in connection with acquisitions of businesses or
portions thereof or in connection with any strategic investment in the Company
by any third party on terms approved by the Company|s board of directors;
provided that the parties in any such acquisition (other than the pending
acquisition of 900 MHz frequencies from Geotek) agree to be bound by the
restrictions contained in this paragraph or will not receive any of such shares
of Common Stock until after the expiration of such 90-day period.

         3. Terms of Public Offering. The Company is advised by you that the
Underwriters propose to make a public offering of their respective portions of
the Shares as soon after the Registration Statement and this Agreement have
become effective as in your judgment is advisable. The Company is further
advised by you that the Shares are to be offered to the public initially at
$[_____________] a share (the "PUBLIC OFFERING PRICE") and to certain dealers
selected by you at a price that represents a concession not in excess of
$[______] a share under the Public

                                        7


<PAGE>   9



Offering Price, and that any Underwriter may allow, and such dealers may
reallow, a concession, not in excess of $[_____] a share, to any Underwriter or
to certain other dealers.

         4. Payment and Delivery. Payment for the Firm Shares shall be made to
the Company in Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City
against delivery of such Firm Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on November __, 1999, or at such
other time on the same or such other date, not later than November __, 1999, as
shall be designated in writing by you. The time and date of such payment are
hereinafter referred to as the "CLOSING DATE."

         Payment for any Additional Shares shall be made to the Company in
Federal or other funds immediately available in New York City against delivery
of such Additional Shares for the respective accounts of the several
Underwriters at 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the date specified in the
notice described in Section 2 or at such other time on the same or on such other
date, in any event not later than December __, 1999, as shall be designated in
writing by the U.S. Representatives. The time and date of such payment are
hereinafter referred to as the "OPTION CLOSING DATE."

         Certificates for the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be in
definitive form and registered in such names and in such denominations as you
shall request in writing not later than one full business day prior to the
Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be. The certificates
evidencing the Firm Shares and Additional Shares shall be delivered to you on
the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be, for the
respective accounts of the several Underwriters, with any transfer taxes payable
in connection with the transfer of the Shares to the Underwriters duly paid,
against payment of the Purchase Price therefor.

         5. Conditions to the Underwriters' Obligations. The obligations of the
Company to sell the Shares to the Underwriters and the several obligations of
the Underwriters to purchase and pay for the Shares on the Closing Date are
subject to the condition that the Registration Statement shall have become
effective not later than [_____] (New York City time) on the date hereof.

         The several obligations of the Underwriters are subject to the
following further conditions:

                  (a) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date a
         certificate, dated the Closing Date and signed by an executive officer
         of the Company, to the effect that no event referred to in clause
         8(a)(ii) below has occurred and to the effect that the representations
         and warranties of the Company contained in this Agreement are true and
         correct in all material respects as of the Closing Date and that the
         Company has complied with all of the agreements and satisfied all of
         the conditions on its part to be performed or satisfied on or before
         the Closing Date.

                                        8


<PAGE>   10



                  The officer signing and delivering such certificate may rely
         upon the best of his or her knowledge as to proceedings threatened.

                  (c) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date
         an opinion of Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue, counsel for the Company,
         dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form set forth in EXHIBIT
         B.

                  (d) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date
         an opinion of Dow, Lohnes & Albertson, FCC counsel for the Company,
         dated the Closing Date, substantially in the form set forth in EXHIBIT
         C.

                  (e) The Underwriters shall have received on the Closing Date
         an opinion of Shearman & Sterling, counsel for the Underwriters, dated
         the Closing Date, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to you.

                  (f) The Underwriters shall have received, on each of the date
         hereof and the Closing Date, a letter dated the date hereof or the
         Closing Date, as the case may be, in form and substance reasonably
         satisfactory to the Underwriters, from the Company's, independent
         public accountants, containing statements and information of the type
         ordinarily included in accountants' "comfort letters" to underwriters
         with respect to the financial statements and certain financial
         information contained in, or incorporated by reference into, the
         Registration Statement and the Prospectus; provided that the letter
         delivered on the Closing Date shall use a "cut-off date" not earlier
         than the date hereof.

                  (g) You shall have received on the Closing Date a certificate,
         dated the Closing Date and signed by the Company's Director of
         Regulatory, Technology and Compliance Affairs, regarding the Company's
         800 MHz specialized mobile radio licenses, in form and substance
         reasonably satisfactory to you.

                  (h) The "lockup" agreements, each substantially in the form of
         EXHIBIT A-1 hereto, between you and the executive officers and
         directors of the Company identified on SCHEDULE IV hereto (except for
         the lock-up of Craig O. McCaw) and the lockup agreement to be entered
         into by Craig O. McCaw, which shall be substantially in the form of
         EXHIBIT A-2 hereto, each relating to sales and certain other
         dispositions of shares of Common Stock or certain other securities
         shall be in full force and effect on the Closing Date.

                  (i) The Shares shall have been approved for listing on the
         Nasdaq National Market by the National Association of Securities
         Dealers, Inc.

                  (j) The Underwriters shall have received a written waiver from
         Digital Radio, L.L.C. in connection with the exercise of its right to
         acquire any Shares as a result of the sale of the Shares hereunder.

                                        9


<PAGE>   11



                  (k) You shall have received such other documents and
         certificates as are reasonably requested by you or your counsel.

         The several obligations of the U.S. Underwriters to purchase Additional
Shares hereunder are subject to the delivery to the U.S. Representatives on the
Option Closing Date of such documents as they may reasonably request with
respect to the good standing of the Company, the due authorization and issuance
of the Additional Shares and other matters related to the issuance of the
Additional Shares.

         6. Covenants of the Company. In further consideration of the agreements
of the Underwriters herein contained, the Company covenants with each
Underwriter as follows:

                  (a) To furnish to you, without charge, [______ ] signed copies
         of the Registration Statement (including exhibits thereto) and for
         delivery to each other Underwriter a conformed copy of the Registration
         Statement (without exhibits thereto) and to use its best efforts to
         furnish to you in New York City, without charge, prior to 10:00 a.m.
         New York City time on the business day next succeeding the date of this
         Agreement and during the period mentioned in Section 6(c) below, as
         many copies of the Prospectus and any supplements and amendments
         thereto or to the Registration Statement as you may reasonably request.

                  (b) Before amending or supplementing the Registration
         Statement or the Prospectus (other than by documents filed pursuant to
         the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference therein), to furnish to
         you a copy of each such proposed amendment or supplement and not to
         file any such proposed amendment or supplement to which you reasonably
         object, and to file with the Commission within the applicable period
         specified in Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act any prospectus
         required to be filed pursuant to such Rule.

                  (c) If, during such period after the first date of the public
         offering of the Shares as in the opinion of counsel for the
         Underwriters the Prospectus is required by law to be delivered in
         connection with sales by an Underwriter or dealer, any event shall
         occur or condition exist as a result of which it is necessary in your
         judgment to amend or supplement the Prospectus in order to make the
         statements therein, in the light of the circumstances when the
         Prospectus is delivered to a purchaser, not misleading, or if, in the
         opinion of counsel for the Underwriters, it is necessary to amend or
         supplement the Prospectus to comply with applicable law, forthwith to
         prepare, file with the Commission and furnish, at its own expense, to
         the Underwriters and to the dealers (whose names and addresses you will
         furnish to the Company) to which Shares may have been sold by you on
         behalf of the Underwriters and to any other dealers upon request,
         either amendments or supplements to the Prospectus so that the
         statements in the Prospectus as so amended or supplemented will not, in
         the light of the circumstances when the Prospectus is delivered

                                       10


<PAGE>   12



         to a purchaser, be misleading or so that the Prospectus, as amended or
         supplemented, will comply with law.

                  (d) To endeavor to qualify the Shares for offer and sale under
         the securities or Blue Sky laws of such jurisdictions as you shall
         reasonably request.

                  (e) To make generally available to the Company's security
         holders and to you as soon as practicable, but in no case later than
         three months after the end of the twelve-month period beginning on the
         first day of the Company|s fiscal quarter immediately succeeding the
         Company|s fiscal quarter during which the effective date of the
         registration statement occurs, an earnings statement of the Company
         covering such twelve-month period that satisfies the provisions of
         Section 11(a) of the Securities Act and the rules and regulations of
         the Commission thereunder.

                  (f) Whether or not any sale of Shares is consummated, to pay
         all expenses incident to the performance of its obligations under this
         Agreement, including: (i) the fees, disbursements and expenses of the
         Company's counsel and the Company's accountants in connection with the
         registration and delivery of the Shares under the Securities Act and
         all other fees or expenses in connection with the preparation and
         filing of the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
         Prospectus and amendments and supplements to any of the foregoing,
         including all printing costs associated therewith, and the mailing and
         delivering of copies thereof to the Underwriters and dealers, in the
         quantities hereinabove specified, (ii) all costs and expenses related
         to the transfer and delivery of the Shares to the Underwriters,
         including any transfer or other taxes payable thereon, (iii) the cost
         of printing or producing any Blue Sky or Legal Investment memorandum in
         connection with the offer and sale of the Shares under state securities
         laws and all expenses in connection with the qualification of the
         Shares for offer and sale under state securities laws as provided in
         Section 6(d) hereof, including filing fees and the reasonable fees and
         disbursements of counsel for the Underwriters in connection with such
         qualification and in connection with the Blue Sky or Legal Investment
         memorandum, (iv) all filing fees and the reasonable fees and
         disbursements of counsel to the Underwriters incurred in connection
         with the review and qualification of the offering of the Shares by the
         National Association of Securities Dealers, Inc., (v) all costs and
         expenses incident to listing the Shares on the Nasdaq National Market,
         (vi) the cost of printing certificates representing the Shares, (vii)
         the costs and charges of any transfer agent, registrar or depositary,
         (viii) the costs and expenses of the Company relating to investor
         presentations on any "road show" undertaken in connection with the
         marketing of the Shares, including, without limitation, expenses
         associated with the production of road show slides and graphics, fees
         and expenses of any consultants engaged in connection with the road
         show presentations with the prior approval of the Company, travel and
         lodging expenses of the representatives and officers of the Company and
         any such consultants, and the cost of any aircraft chartered in
         connection with the road show, and (ix) all other costs and expenses

                                       11


<PAGE>   13



         incident to the performance of the obligations of the Company hereunder
         for which provision is not otherwise made in this Section.

                  (g) To use the net proceeds received by it from the sale of
         the Shares pursuant to this Agreement in the manner specified in the
         Prospectus under the caption "Use of Proceeds."

         7. Indemnity and Contribution. (a) The Company agrees to indemnify and
hold harmless each Underwriter and each person, if any, who controls any
Underwriter within the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or
Section 20 of the Exchange Act or is under common control with, or is controlled
by, any Underwriter, from and against any and all losses, claims, damages and
liabilities (including, without limitation, any legal or other expenses
reasonably incurred by any Underwriter or any such controlling or affiliated
person in connection with defending or investigating any such action or claim)
caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue statement of a material fact
contained in the Registration Statement or any amendment thereof, any
preliminary prospectus or the Prospectus (as amended or supplemented if the
Company shall have furnished any amendments or supplements thereto), or caused
by any omission or alleged omission to state therein a material fact required to
be stated therein or necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,
except insofar as such losses, claims, damages or liabilities are caused by any
such untrue statement or omission or alleged untrue statement or omission based
upon information relating to any Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing
by such Underwriter through you expressly for use therein; provided, however,
that the forgoing indemnity agreement with respect to any preliminary prospectus
shall not inure to the benefit of any Underwriter, or any person controlling
such Underwriter, with respect to any such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities by any person who is a purchaser of Shares if a copy of an amended
or supplemental Prospectus (if the Company shall have furnished any amendments
or supplements thereto) was not sent or given by or on behalf of such
Underwriter to such person, if required by law so to have been delivered, at or
prior to the written confirmation of the sale of the Shares to such person, and
if such amended or supplemented Prospectus would have cured the defect giving
rise to such losses, claims, damages or liabilities, unless such failure is the
result of noncompliance by the Company with Section 6(a) hereof.

         (b) Each Underwriter agrees, severally and not jointly, to indemnify
and hold harmless the Company, its directors, its officers who sign the
Registration Statement and each person, if any, who controls the Company within
the meaning of either Section 15 of the Securities Act or Section 20 of the
Exchange Act to the same extent as the foregoing indemnity from the Company to
such Underwriter, but only with reference to information relating to such
Underwriter furnished to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through you
expressly for use in the Registration Statement, any preliminary prospectus, the
Prospectus or any amendments or supplements thereto.

         (c) In case any proceeding (including any governmental investigation)
shall be instituted involving any person in respect of which indemnity may be
sought pursuant to Section

                                       12


<PAGE>   14



7(a) or 7(b), such person (the "INDEMNIFIED PARTY") shall promptly notify the
person against whom such indemnity may be sought (the "INDEMNIFYING PARTY") in
writing and the indemnifying party, upon request of the indemnified party, shall
retain counsel reasonably satisfactory to the indemnified party to represent the
indemnified party and any others the indemnifying party may designate in such
proceeding and shall pay the fees and disbursements of such counsel related to
such proceeding. In any such proceeding, any indemnified party shall have the
right to retain its own counsel, but the fees and expenses of such counsel shall
be at the expense of such indemnified party unless (i) the indemnifying party
and the indemnified party shall have mutually agreed to the retention of such
counsel or (ii) the named parties to any such proceeding (including any
impleaded parties) include both the indemnifying party and the indemnified party
and representation of both parties by the same counsel would be inappropriate
due to actual or potential differing interests between them. It is understood
that the indemnifying party shall not, in respect of the legal expenses of any
indemnified party in connection with any proceeding or related proceedings in
the same jurisdiction, be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one
separate firm (in addition to any local counsel) for all such indemnified
parties and that all such fees and expenses shall be reimbursed as they are
incurred. Such firm shall be designated in writing by Morgan Stanley & Co.
Incorporated, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(a), and
by the Company, in the case of parties indemnified pursuant to Section 7(b). The
indemnifying party shall not be liable for any settlement of any proceeding
effected without its written consent, but if settled with such consent or if
there be a final judgment for the plaintiff, the indemnifying party agrees to
indemnify the indemnified party from and against any loss or liability by reason
of such settlement or judgment. Notwithstanding the foregoing sentence, if at
any time an indemnified party shall have requested an indemnifying party to
reimburse the indemnified party for fees and expenses of counsel as contemplated
by the second and third sentences of this paragraph, the indemnifying party
agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement of any proceeding effected
without its written consent if (i) such settlement is entered into more than 45
days after receipt by such indemnifying party of the aforesaid request, (ii)
such indemnifying party shall have received notice of the terms of such
settlement at least 30 days prior to such settlement being entered into and
(iii) such indemnifying party shall not have reimbursed the indemnified party in
accordance with such request prior to the date of such settlement. No
indemnifying party shall, without the prior written consent of the indemnified
party, effect any settlement of any pending or threatened proceeding in respect
of which any indemnified party is or could have been a party and indemnity could
have been sought hereunder by such indemnified party, unless such settlement
includes an unconditional release of such indemnified party from all liability
on claims that are the subject matter of such proceeding, provided that such
unconditional release may be subject to a parallel release of a claimant or
plaintiff by such indemnified party from all liability in respect of claims or
counterclaims asserted by such indemnified party.

         (d) To the extent the indemnification provided for in Section 7(a) or
7(b) is unavailable to an indemnified party or insufficient in respect of any
losses, claims, damages or liabilities referred to therein, then each
indemnifying party under such paragraph, in lieu of indemnifying such
indemnified party thereunder, shall contribute to the amount paid or payable by
such indemnified party as a result of such losses, claims, damages or
liabilities (i) in such

                                       13


<PAGE>   15



proportion as is appropriate to reflect the relative benefits received by the
Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other hand from the offering
of the Shares or (ii) if the allocation provided by clause 7(d)(i) above is not
permitted by applicable law, in such proportion as is appropriate to reflect not
only the relative benefits referred to in clause 7(d)(i) above but also the
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and of the Underwriters on the
other hand in connection with the statements or omissions that resulted in such
losses, claims, damages or liabilities, as well as any other relevant equitable
considerations. The relative benefits received by the Company on the one hand
and the Underwriters on the other hand in connection with the offering of the
Shares shall be deemed to be in the same respective proportions as the net
proceeds from the offering of the Shares (before deducting expenses) received by
the Company and the total underwriting discounts and commissions received by the
Underwriters, in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the
Prospectus, bear to the aggregate Public Offering Price of the Shares. The
relative fault of the Company on the one hand and the Underwriters on the other
hand shall be determined by reference to, among other things, whether the untrue
or alleged untrue statement of a material fact or the omission or alleged
omission to state a material fact relates to information supplied by the Company
or by the Underwriters and the parties' relative intent, knowledge, access to
information and opportunity to correct or prevent such statement or omission.
The Underwriters' respective obligations to contribute pursuant to this Section
7 are several in proportion to the respective number of Shares they have
purchased hereunder, and not joint.

         (e) The Company and the Underwriters agree that it would not be just or
equitable if contribution pursuant to this Section 7 were determined by pro rata
allocation (even if the Underwriters were treated as one entity for such
purpose) or by any other method of allocation that does not take account of the
equitable considerations referred to in Section 7(d). The amount paid or payable
by an indemnified party as a result of the losses, claims, damages and
liabilities referred to in the immediately preceding paragraph shall be deemed
to include, subject to the limitations set forth above, any legal or other
expenses reasonably incurred by such indemnified party in connection with
investigating or defending any such action or claim. Notwithstanding the
provisions of this Section 7, no Underwriter shall be required to contribute any
amount in excess of the amount by which the total price at which the Shares
underwritten by it and distributed to the public were offered to the public
exceeds the amount of any damages that such Underwriter has otherwise been
required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged untrue statement or omission
or alleged omission. No person guilty of fraudulent misrepresentation (within
the meaning of Section 11(f) of the Securities Act) shall be entitled to
contribution from any person who was not guilty of such fraudulent
misrepresentation.

         (f) The indemnity and contribution provisions contained in this Section
7 and the representations and warranties of the Company contained in this
Agreement shall remain operative and in full force and effect regardless of (i)
any termination of this Agreement, (ii) any investigation made by or on behalf
of any Underwriter or any person controlling any Underwriter or by or on behalf
of the Company, its officers or directors or any person controlling the Company
and (iii) acceptance of and payment for any of the Shares.

                                       14


<PAGE>   16



         8. Termination. (a) Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated may terminate
this Agreement, by notice to the Company at any time at or prior to the Closing
Date, (i) if there has been, since the time of execution of this Agreement or
since the respective dates as of which information is given in the Registration
Statement, any material adverse change in the condition (financial or
otherwise), earnings, business affairs or business prospects of the Company and
the subsidiaries considered as one enterprise, whether or not arising in the
ordinary course of business, or (ii) if there shall have occurred a downgrading
in the rating assigned to any of the Company's securities by any nationally
recognized securities rating agency, or if such securities rating agency shall
have publicly announced that it has under surveillance or review, with possible
negative implications, its rating of any of the Company's securities, or (iii)
if there has occurred any material adverse change in the financial markets in
the United States or the international financial markets, any outbreak of
hostilities or escalation thereof or other calamity or crisis or any change or
development involving a prospective change in national or international
political, financial or economic conditions, in each case the effect of which is
such as to make it, in the judgment of Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
impracticable to market the Shares or to enforce contracts for the sale of the
Shares, or (iv) if trading in any securities of the Company has been suspended
or limited by the Commission or The Nasdaq National Market System, or if trading
generally on the American Stock Exchange or the New York Stock Exchange or in
The Nasdaq National Market System has been suspended or limited, or minimum or
maximum prices for trading have been fixed, or maximum ranges for prices have
been required by any of said exchanges or by such system or by order of the
Commission, the National Banking Association of Securities Dealers, Inc. or any
other governmental authority, or (v) if a banking moratorium has been declared
by either Federal or New York State.

         (b) If this Agreement is terminated pursuant to this Section, such
termination shall be without liability of any party to any other party except as
provided in Section 6(c) hereof, and provided further that Sections 1 and 7
shall survive such termination and remain in full force and effect.

         9. Effectiveness; Defaulting Underwriters. This Agreement shall become
effective upon the execution and delivery hereof by the parties hereto.

         If, on the Closing Date or the Option Closing Date, as the case may be,
any one or more of the Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Shares that
it has or they have agreed to purchase hereunder on such date, and the aggregate
number of Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase is not more than one-tenth of the aggregate number
of the Shares to be purchased on such date, the other Underwriters shall be
obligated severally in the proportions that the number of Firm Shares set forth
opposite their respective names in Schedule I or Schedule II bears to the
aggregate number of Firm Shares set forth opposite the names of all such
non-defaulting Underwriters, or in such other proportions as you may specify, to
purchase the Shares which such defaulting Underwriter or Underwriters agreed but
failed or refused to purchase on such date; provided that in no event shall the
number of Shares that any Underwriter has agreed to purchase pursuant to this
Agreement be increased

                                       15


<PAGE>   17



pursuant to this Section 9 by an amount in excess of one-ninth of such number of
Shares without the written consent of such Underwriter. If, on the Closing Date,
any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to purchase Firm Shares and
the aggregate number of Firm Shares with respect to which such default occurs is
more than one-tenth of the aggregate number of Firm Shares to be purchased, and
arrangements satisfactory to you and the Company for the purchase of such Firm
Shares are not made within 36 hours after such default, this Agreement shall
terminate without liability on the part of any non-defaulting Underwriter or the
Company. In any such case either you or the Company shall have the right to
postpone the Closing Date, but in no event for longer than seven days, in order
that the required changes, if any, in the Registration Statement and in the
Prospectus or in any other documents or arrangements may be effected. If, on the
Option Closing Date, any Underwriter or Underwriters shall fail or refuse to
purchase Additional Shares and the aggregate number of Additional Shares with
respect to which such default occurs is more than one-tenth of the aggregate
number of Additional Shares to be purchased, the non-defaulting Underwriters
shall have the option to (i) terminate their obligation hereunder to purchase
Additional Shares or (ii) purchase not less than the number of Additional Shares
that such non-defaulting Underwriters would have been obligated to purchase in
the absence of such default. Any action taken under this paragraph shall not
relieve any defaulting Underwriter from liability in respect of any default of
such Underwriter under this Agreement.

         If this Agreement shall be terminated by the Underwriters because of
any failure or refusal on the part of the Company to comply with the terms or to
fulfill any of the conditions of this Agreement, or if for any reason the
Company shall be unable to perform its obligations under this Agreement, the
Company will reimburse the Underwriters for all out-of-pocket expenses
(including the fees and disbursements of their counsel) reasonably incurred by
the Underwriters in connection with this Agreement or the offering contemplated
hereunder.

         10. Miscellaneous. (a) This Agreement may be signed in two or more
counterparts, each of which shall be an original, with the same effect as if the
signatures thereto and hereto were upon the same instrument.

         (b) Any notice or communication shall be sufficiently given if in
writing and delivered in person, mailed by first class mail or sent by
telecopier transmission addressed as follows:

If to the Company:

Nextel Communications, Inc.
2001 Edmund Halley Drive
Reston, Virginia 20191

Telecopier No. (703) 433-4036
Attn:  General Counsel

                                       16


<PAGE>   18



If to the Underwriters:

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
1585 Broadway
New York, New York 10036

Telecopier No. (212) 761-0538
Attn: Equity Syndicate Desk

The Company or the Underwriters by notice to the other may designate additional
or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications.

         11. Applicable Law. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

         12. Headings. The headings of the sections of this Agreement have been
inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not be deemed a part of
this Agreement.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        NEXTEL COMMUNICATIONS, INC.

                                        By:____________________________
                                           Name:
                                           Title:

Accepted as of the date hereof

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INCORPORATED
GOLDMAN, SACHS & CO.
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON CORPORATION
DEUTSCHE BANK SECURITIES INC.
MERRILL LYNCH, PIERCE, FENNER & SMITH INCORPORATED
PAINEWEBBER INCORPORATED

Acting severally on behalf
  of themselves and the

                                       17


<PAGE>   19



  several Underwriters named
  in Schedule I hereto.

By: Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated

                  By:__________________________
                     Name:
                     Title:

MORGAN STANLEY & CO. INTERNATIONAL LIMITED
GOLDMAN SACHS INTERNATIONAL
CREDIT SUISSE FIRST BOSTON (EUROPE) LIMITED
DEUTSCHE BANK AG LONDON
MERRILL LYNCH INTERNATIONAL
PAINEWEBBER INTERNATIONAL (U.K.) LTD.

Acting severally on behalf of themselves
and the several International Underwriters
named in Schedule II hereto.

By: Morgan Stanley & Co. International Limited

                  By:__________________________
                     Name:
                     Title:

                                       18



<PAGE>   1
                                                                     Exhibit 5.1
                                                                     -----------


                           JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE
                                   North Point
                               901 Lakeside Avenue
                              Cleveland, Ohio 44114

                                October 28, 1999

Nextel Communications, Inc.
2001 Edmund Halley Drive
Reston, Virginia  20191

           Re:        Public Offering of up to 28,750,000 shares of Class A
                      Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of Nextel
                      Communications, Inc.
                      ------------------------------------------------------

Gentlemen:

                  We are acting as counsel for Nextel Communications, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the public offering by
the Company of an aggregate of up to 28,750,000 shares (the "Shares") of Class A
Common Stock, $0.001 par value per share, of the Company in accordance with the
terms and conditions of an Underwriting Agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement")
to be entered into among the Company, Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated,
Goldman, Sachs & Co., Credit Suisse First Boston, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.,
Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Incorporated and Paine Webber Incorporated
and such other investment banking firms as may agree to become parties thereto
as underwriters (the "Underwriters").

                  In our capacity as counsel to the Company, we have examined
such documents, records and matters of law as we have deemed necessary for
purposes of this opinion, and based thereupon we are of the opinion that the
Shares are duly authorized and, subject to the due approval of the terms of the
sale of the Shares by the Finance Committee of the Board of Directors of the
Company, when issued and delivered by the Company to the Underwriters pursuant
to the Underwriting Agreement against payment of the consideration as provided
therein (and provided that the consideration received by the Company is at least
equal to the par value of such shares), will be validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable.

                  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1
to the Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed by the Company to effect
registration of the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, and to the
reference to us under the caption "Legal Matters" in the prospectus constituting
a part of such Registration Statement.

                                             Very truly yours,
                                             /s/ Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue


<PAGE>   1
                                                                    EXHIBIT 8.1

                           JONES, DAY, REAVIS & POGUE

                               3500 SunTrust Plaza

                            303 Peachtree Street, NE

                           Atlanta, Georgia 30308-3242
                                 (404) 521-3939

                                October 28, 1999

Nextel Communications, Inc.
2001 Edmund Halley Drive
Reston, Virginia  20191

      Re:   Registration Statement for Class A Common Stock

Dear Sirs:

      We have acted as counsel to Nextel Communications, Inc. (the "Company") in
connection with the registration statement on Form S-3, to which this opinion
appears as Exhibit 8.1, which includes the prospectus of the Company relating to
the offering by the selling stockholders named therein (the "Offering") of the
Company's Class A common stock, par value $.001 per share (the "Common Stock").

      On the basis of the foregoing and upon consideration of applicable law, we
are of the opinion that, subject to the qualifications stated therein, the
discussion as to the United States federal income tax matters set forth under
the caption "Principal United States Federal Tax Consequences" in the prospectus
contained in the registration statement summarizes the principal United States
federal income tax consequences relevant to the Offering and to the ownership,
sale or other disposition of the Common Stock.

      We hereby consent to the filing with the Securities and Exchange
Commission of this opinion as an exhibit to the registration statement and to
the reference to this firm in the prospectus constituting part of the
registration statement.

                                          Very truly yours,
                                          /s/ Jones, Day, Reavis & Pogue

<PAGE>   1


                                                                    Exhibit 23.2


                         INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' CONSENT

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Amendment No. 1 to the
Registration Statement No. 333-89429 of Nextel Communications, Inc. on Form S-3
of our report dated February 22, 1999, appearing in the Annual Report on Form
10-K of Nextel Communications, Inc. for the year ended December 31, 1998, and to
the reference to us under the heading "Experts" in the Prospectus, which is part
of this Registration Statement.

/s/ Deloitte & Touche LLP
- -------------------------
McLean, Virginia
October 27, 1999



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