tel Partners, the only U.S. affiliate of Nextel, holds exclusive rights to provide Nextel's digital wireless communications services in many small and mid-sized U.S. markets. Nextel owns approximately 32 percent of Nextel Partners, which provides digital wireless communications services under the Nextel brand name in mid-sized and tertiary United States markets. Nextel Partners has the right to operate in 58 of the top 200 metropolitan areas in the United States. For 2003, the company saw revenue of $1 billion, a marked increase over revenue of $670 million in 2002. Founded in 1999, Nextel Partners is licensed to operate in 30 states in the U.S., and currently has about 1 million subscribers. It has also announced plans to open 30 retail stores in 2004, expanding its presence from 40 retail locations already in Visit Vault at www.vault.com for insider company profiles, expert advice, VAULT CAREER career message boards, expert resume reviews, the Vault Job Board and more. LIBRARY Vault Guide to the Top Telecom Employers Nextel Communications operation. Wireless pioneer Craig McCaw owns a 6 percent stake in the company, while Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates owns 5 percent and Motorola owns another 5 percent. First in new products In 2001, Nextel - working with Motorola-introduced the first Java technology- enabled wireless phones in the United States. Nextel also launched the Motorola iBoard in 2001, allowing customers to compose e-mail, manage address books and calendars, and use Java-enabled applications - all from a wireless phone utilizing a fold-away, full-sized keyboard. In late 2002, Nextel successfully launched the only wireless, handheld device that offers a full suite of wireless mobile solutions: all-digital cellular, Direct Connect digital service, text and numeric messaging, e-mail, Java technology and Nextel Online service. The device, the BlackBerry, has been a big success, especially among corporate users. Nextel also owns approximately 36 percent of NII Holdings Inc., which provides wireless communi