Document:

QuickLinks
 -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

 
 

Exhibit 10.54(a)    
  

 
  AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT    
  

        This Amendment No. 1 to Registration Rights Agreement ("Amendment No. 1") amends that certain
Registration Rights Agreement (the "Agreement") dated February 22, 2000 by and among Nextel Partners, Inc. (the
"Company") and the shareholders listed on the signature pages of the Agreement. Terms that are not defined in context are defined in the Agreement or in
that certain Amended and Restated Shareholders' Agreement dated as of February 18, 2000, as amended, by and among Nextel Partners, Inc. and the various shareholders listed in such
agreement. 

        1.    The
parties hereto agree that the existing Section 3 of the Agreement shall be replaced in its entirety by the following new Section 3: 

        3.    Holdback
Agreements. With respect to each and every Underwritten Public Offering: 

        (a)  Each
Shareholder Party agrees not to effect any public sale or distribution, including any sale pursuant to Rule 144, or any successor provision, under the
Securities Act, of any Registrable Securities (in each case, other than as part of such Underwritten Public Offering) during the 10 business days preceding the date scheduled for the beginning of the
"road show" to be conducted by the Company executives in connection with such offering (as determined by the managing underwriter in good faith) or, if a shorter time period, upon the date of receipt
of notice of the date scheduled for such Underwritten Public Offering, and ending not later than the earlier to occur of (i) 90 days following the effective date of the registration
statement filed in connection with the Underwritten Public Offering, (ii) the date that the Company and the managing underwriter determine not to complete the Underwritten Public Offering
within 10 days following the completion of the road show, or (iii) 60 days after the start of the holdback period if the offering has not commenced by that date; provided,
however, that the holdback period for such Underwritten Public Offering shall not exceed 120 days in aggregate. A holdback period for a subsequent Underwritten Public Offering shall not begin
sooner than 120 days after the end of a prior holdback period; provided that this 120-day interval period shall not apply where the Company and the managing underwriter have
determined not to proceed with the Underwritten Public Offering following the road show; provided further, if the Company provides notice of a new holdback period within the 120-day period
following termination of the prior holdback period (as a result of a determination not to proceed with the Underwritten Public Offering), then in
such case the maximum number of days for which the new holdback period may apply shall be 120 days less the number of days during which the prior holdback period was effective. 

        (b)  Each
Shareholder Party agrees that, so long as a Demanding Shareholder has the right to request one or more Demand Registrations, each Shareholder Party will not effect
any public sale or distribution, including any sale pursuant to Rule 144, or any successor provision, under the Securities Act, of any Registrable Securities, during the 10 business days
preceding the date scheduled for the beginning of the "road show" to be conducted by the Company executives in connection with such offering (as determined by the managing underwriter in good faith)
or, if a shorter time period, upon the date of receipt of notice of the date scheduled for such Underwritten Public Offering, and ending not later than the earlier to occur of
(i) 90 days following the effective date of the registration statement filed in connection with the Underwritten Public Offering, (ii) the date that the Company and the managing
underwriter determine not to complete the Underwritten Public Offering within 10 days following the completion of the road show, or (iii) 60 days after the start of the holdback
period if the offering has not commenced by that date; provided, however, that the holdback period for such Underwritten Public Offering shall not exceed 120 days in aggregate. A holdback
period for a subsequent Underwritten Public Offering shall not begin sooner than 120 days after the end of a prior holdback period; provided that this 120-day interval period shall
not apply where the Company and the managing underwriter have determined not to proceed with the Underwritten Public Offering following the road show; provided further, if the Company provides notice
of a new holdback period within the 120-day period following termination of the prior holdback period (as a result of a determination not to 

 

proceed with the Underwritten Public Offering), then in such case the maximum number of days for which the new holdback period may apply shall be 120 days less the number of days during which
the prior holdback period was effective. 

        (c)  On
or before the date of execution of this Amendment No. 1, the holdback period that became effective on July 25, 2001, shall have been terminated and be
of no further force or effect. 

        2.    Removal of Certain Parties.    The parties hereby agree that from and after the date of this Amendment
No. 1, (i) the parties listed on Annex A attached hereto and made a part hereof shall no longer be parties to the Agreement and shall not be subject to any of the obligations or accorded
any of the rights and benefits thereunder, and (ii) all Shares held by such parties shall no longer be subject to the provisions of the Agreement. 

        3.    Private Transactions with an Affiliate.    The parties agree that if any party to the Agreement transfers any
Shares subject to the Agreement in a private transaction to an Affiliate, the Shares so transferred shall remain subject to the provisions of the Agreement including, without limitation, the holdback
provisions contained in Section 3 of the Agreement. Shares transferred to a non-Affiliate and Shares transferred pursuant to a registered offering or in accordance with
Rule 144 of the Securities Act shall, immediately after such transfers, no longer be subject to the provisions of the Agreement or accorded any rights hereunder. The parties hereby agree that
Section 14 of the Agreement is hereby amended to the extent necessary to effect the foregoing. 

[SIGNATURE
PAGES FOLLOW] 

2

 
 
 

ANNEX A
  TO
  AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT    
    
    PARTIES REMOVED FROM REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT    

Raven
Trust 

Paul
Goodrich 

Gerald
Grinstein 

Tom
Alberg 

Steven
W. Hooper, Sr. 

Avenir
LLC 

Arthur
Harrigan 

3

QuickLinks

Exhibit 10.54(a)

AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT

ANNEX A TO AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT PARTIES REMOVED FROM REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT<Page>

                                     (FRONT)

Series

Certificate Number

                         Beneficial Assignee Certificate

                      [BOSTON CAPITAL PARTNERS, INC. LOGO]

                     BOSTON CAPITAL TAX CREDIT FUND IV L.P.

               (organized under the Laws of the State of Delaware)

BENEFICIAL ASSIGNEE CERTIFICATE OF LIMITED PARTNERSHIP INTEREST

     This certifies that _______________________________________________________
________________________________________ is the owner of Beneficial Assignee
Certificates of Limited Partnership Interest (the "BACs") in Boston Capital Tax
Credit Fund IV L. P. Series ___ (the "Partnership"), a limited partnership
organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, issued by its assignor
limited partner, BCTC IV Assignor Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Assignor
Limited Partner"), pursuant to and in accordance with the Agreement of Limited
Partnership as amended from time to time (the "Partnership Agreement"). Such
Partnership Agreement authorizing the transfer of the beneficial interests of
BCTC IV Assignor Corp. to the holder hereof (the "BAC Holder"), is hereby
incorporated by reference as fully as if set forth in its entirety, all of the
provisions of which, including but not limited to the rights and privileges, the
restrictions and qualifications thereof as set forth therein. No transfer, sale,
pledge or other disposition of the BACs evidenced by this Certificate may be
made except by compliance with the provisions of the Partnership Agreement and
applicable law. The holder and every transferee or assignee hereof or of the BAC
represented hereby or any interest therein agrees to be bound by the terms of
the Partnership Agreement.

     [This Certificate is not valid unless registered and countersigned by the
Transfer Agent and Registrar.]

                                        1
<Page>

     ATTENTION CALIFORNIA RESIDENTS: IT IS UNLAWFUL TO CONSUMMATE A SALE OR
TRANSFER OF THIS SECURITY, OR ANY INTEREST THEREIN, OR TO RECEIVE ANY
CONSIDERATION THEREFOR, WITHOUT THE PRIOR WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF
CORPORATIONS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA, EXCEPT AS PERMITTED IN THE
COMMISSIONER'S RULES.

     Witness the facsimile signatures of the duly authorized officers of the
General Partner of the Partnership and the Assignor Limited Partner.

Date:                              Boston Capital Tax Credit
      ------------------            Fund IV L.P.

                                   By:  Boston Capital
                                         Associates IV L.P., its general partner

                                         By: BCA Associates Limited Partnership,
                                             its general partner

                                             By: C&M Management, Inc.,
                                                 its general partner

                                                 By:
                                                    ----------------------------
                                                      John Manning
                                                      President

                                         BCTC IV Assignor Corp.,
                                         Assignor Limited Partner

                                         By:
                                             -----------------------------------
                                                 Richard DeAgazio
                                                 President

[Countersigned and Registered:
  Registrar and Transfer Company,
  Transfer Agent and Registrar

     By:
         -----------------------------------
         Authorized Signature]

                                        2
<Page>

                                     (BACK)

                 THE INTERESTS EVIDENCED BY THIS CERTIFICATE ARE
                SUBJECT TO THE TERMS OF THE PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
                        AND TO THE FOLLOWING PROVISIONS:

     This Certificate and the Interests evidenced hereby (but no fractional part
of an Interest) may be transferred only by the holder of record hereof upon the
surrender of this Certificate, duly executed to the Partnership or its Designee;
subject, however, to all of the limitations and restrictions contained in the
Partnership Agreement. This Certificate may be surrendered to the Assignor
Limited Partner or its Designee, in exchange for one or more certificates for
the same aggregate number of BACs, provided, however that no certificate may be
issued representing a fractional BAC.

     Until due presentation of this Certificate for entry in the books and
records of the Partnership, the Partnership may treat the holder of record of
the BACs represented by this Certificate as the owner thereof for all purposes
and shall not be charged with notice of any claim or demand to the BACs
represented by this Certificate or the Interest of any other person. The entry
in the books and records of the Partnership of the transfer of this Certificate
shall transfer to the transferee as of the effective date prescribed by Article
VII of the Partnership Agreement such right, title, and interest of the
transferor in and to this Certificate (and to the Interests evidenced hereby) as
is prescribed by Article VII of the Partnership Agreement. A transfer of this
Certificate shall not hereby transfer to the transferee the right to any sum
payable to the holder of record prior to the effective date of such transfer.

     Any transferee or assignee hereof or of the BACs represented hereby or any
interest therein is advised to consult his tax advisor with respect to the
applicable tax consequences to him at the time of acceptance of the sale,
assignment or transfer of the BACs represented by this Certificate.

     Any transferee or assignee hereof or of the BACs represented hereby or any
interest therein is advised to consult his tax advisor with respect to the
applicable tax consequences to him at the time of acceptance of the sale,
assignment or transfer of the BACs represented by this Certificate.

     The transferee, if a resident of California upon acceptance of the sale,
assignment or transfer of the BACs represented by this Certificate confirms that
the BACs are a suitable investment for the transferee based upon the following
suitability standards: (1) minimum annual gross income for the current year of
$60,000 and a net worth (excluding home, home furnishings and automobiles) of
$60,000 or (2) net worth (excluding home, home furnishings and automobiles) of
not less than $175,000. In addition to this requirement, a Pennsylvania
transferee's net worth must also be equal to or greater than ten times his or
her dollar amount of BACs purchased.

                                        3
<Page>

BAC Holders are advised as follows:

     You have acquired an interest in Boston Capital Tax Credit Fund IV L.P.,
One Boston Place, Suite 2100 Boston, Massachusetts 02180-4406, whose taxpayer
identification number is ____________. The Internal Revenue Service has issued
Boston Capital Tax Credit Fund IV L.P. the following tax shelter registration
number:

     You must report this registration number to the Internal Revenue Service,
if you claim any deduction, loss, credit, or other tax benefit or report any
income by reason of your investment in Boston Capital Tax Credit Fund IV L.P.,
Series ___.

     You must report the registration number (as well as the name, and taxpayer
identification number of Boston Capital Tax Credit Fund IV L.P.) on Form 8271.

     Form 8271 must be attached to the return on which you claim the deduction,
loss, credit, or other tax benefit or report any income.

     Issuance of a registration number does not indicate that this investment or
the claimed tax benefits have been reviewed, examined, or approved by the
Internal Revenue Service.

                                        4
<Page>

     The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of
this Certificate, shall be construed as though they were written out in full
according to applicable laws of regulations.

TEN COM - as tenants in common
UNIF GIFT MIN - ___________________  Custodian__________________________________
          (cust)                                               Minor)
          under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act
          ___________________________________
                                    (State)

TEN ENT - as tenants by the entireties
JT TEN - as joint tenants with right of survivorship
         and not as tenants in common

Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list

                                        5
<Page>

FOR VALUE RECEIVED, ____________________________________ hereby sells, assigns
and transfers unto

PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY
OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER
OF TRANSFEREE
______________________________

________________________________________________________________________________
(Please print name and address of transferee)

the beneficial assignee certificates of limited partnership interest, and does
hereby irrevocably constitute and appoint __________________________________ to
transfer said certificate on the books of the Partnership with full power of
substitution.

Date:
      --------------------          ---------------------------------
                                    The above signature of the transferor must
                                    correspond with the name as written upon the
                                    face of the Certificate in every particular
                                    without alteration or enlargement or any
                                    change whatsoever.

                                        6

Source: [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00049-of-00352.parquet"}, [{"source": "alea-institute/alea-institute/kl3m-data-edgar-agreements/train-00049-of-00352.parquet"}]]