Document:

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                                                                   Exhibit 10.38

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

            EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT, dated as of January 29, 1999, between Nextel
Partners Operating Corp., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"), and Mark P.
Fanning ("Executive"). Capitalized terms used and not otherwise defined herein
shall have the meanings given to such terms in Section 9 or as otherwise set
forth below.

            WHEREAS, the Company desires to employ Executive and to enter into
an agreement embodying the terms of such employment (this "Agreement"), and
Executive desires to accept such employment and enter into this Agreement.

            NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein
contained, the Company and Executive, intending to be legally bound, hereby
agree as follows:

            1. Employment. (a) Agreement to Employ. Upon the terms and subject
to the conditions hereof the Company shall employ Executive as Vice President -
People Development of the Company until the Expiration Date (as defined in
Section 1(b)), any date to which this Agreement shall have been extended
pursuant to Section 1(b) or any earlier termination of this Agreement pursuant
to Section 6. Executive's office shall be located in the Seattle, Washington
metropolitan area. During the term of his employment hereunder, Executive will
devote substantially all of his business time to the performance of his duties
hereunder.

            (b) Employment Period. Unless earlier terminated pursuant to Section
6, the initial term of Executive's employment with the Company shall be for a
period of four years, commencing on the date of this Agreement and continuing
until January 29, 2003 (the "Expiration Date"). The term of this Agreement may
be extended by the Company for successive one-year terms commencing on the
Expiration Date by providing Executive notice of such election not less than 60
days prior to the Expiration Date or the scheduled expiration date of any
renewal term.

            2. Responsibility. Executive shall be responsible for supervising
the establishment, maintenance and operation of all human resources and
organizational development functions at the Company and for such other duties
commensurate with his position that may be assigned from time to time by the
Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board") or (to the extent not
inconsistent with the duties assigned to him by the Board) by the chief
executive officer of the Company. Executive shall report directly to the chief
executive officer of the Company and shall be subject to the overall supervision
of the Board.

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            3. Compensation and Benefits.

            (a) Salary and Bonus.

                  (i) The Company shall pay Executive a base salary in the
      annual amount of $125,000 payable in accordance with the Company's normal
      payroll practices.

                  (ii) The Company shall (subject to the Board's review and
      approval) establish a performance based program pursuant to which
      Executive shall receive, if performance targets are met, an additional
      annual cash payment of up to forty percent (40%) of Executive's then
      current base salary (or such higher amount as the Board may approve), and
      shall offer to Executive a benefits package equivalent to that provided to
      the Company's other senior executives.

                  (iii) In addition to the amounts payable pursuant to
      paragraphs (i) and (ii) above, in recognition of Executive's services
      prior to the date hereof, the Company will on the date of the Closing make
      a lump sum payment to Executive in the amount of $72,917.

                  (iv) Upon completion of the Required Build on or before the
      Scheduled Completion Date, the Compensation Committee of the Board shall
      review Executive's base salary and bonus payment in light of the
      performance of Executive and the Company, and may, in its discretion,
      increase (but not decrease) such base salary and bonus payment by an
      amount it determines to be appropriate.

                  (v) If this Agreement is renewed by the Company upon
      expiration of the initial four-year term, Executive's base salary and
      bonus payment will be recalculated so as to place them at levels that are
      comparable to prevailing market rates, based on the overall compensation
      packages of executives holding comparable positions in similarly situated
      companies (which shall include consideration of Executive's equity
      compensation arrangements in comparison to those of executives holding
      comparable positions in similarly situated companies).

            (b) Expenses. Executive shall maintain his own automobile and shall
carry liability insurance in the minimum amount of $300,000. The Company shall
reimburse Executive monthly for business use of his automobile at the prevailing
IRS rate per mile. Executive shall also be reimbursed monthly for all other
reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred or paid by Executive while
representing the Company or conducting Company business. Executive shall be
responsible for maintaining records reasonably satisfactory to support all
claimed business usage of his automobile and to substantiate all out-of-pocket
expenses incurred for which reimbursement is sought and shall furnish such
records to the Company in accordance with its policies.

            (c) Vacation. Executive shall be entitled to 15 vacation days each
calendar year, any or all of [ILLEGIBLE] unused

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vacation time earned through the last completed month of service, computed at
the rate of ten hours per month.

            (d) Indemnification. The Company shall indemnify and hold Executive
harmless in accordance with the terms of the Company's certificate of
incorporation and bylaws, in each case as in effect on the date hereof.

            (e) D&O Insurance. The Company shall maintain directors and officers
liability insurance coverage covering Executive in amounts customary for
similarly situated companies in the telecommunications industry and with
reputable insurers. All such policies shall provide for coverage to Executive on
the same terms and conditions applicable to the coverage provided under such
policies to the Company's other directors and officers.

            4. Nondisclosure of Proprietary and Confidential Information.

            (a) Confidential Information. Executive agrees to refrain (whether
during or after his employment with the Company) from disclosing or using,
except as permitted by this Agreement, any secrets or confidential information
with respect to any Covered Entity, including without limitation its trade
secrets, patents, affairs, business plans, strategic, commercial or financial
information other than information that is or becomes publicly available through
no fault of Executive (the "Confidential Information"). Executive may disclose
or communicate only such information as is reasonably required or specifically
approved by the Board or authorized management personnel of the Company
designated by the Board in connection with Executive's services. Confidential
Information may be used solely for the benefit of the Company, and Executive
shall not make any other use of such information. Executive agrees that all
materials relating to the business of any Covered Entity that are provided or
made available to Executive, or created by Executive, during the course of
Executive's services to the Company shall be and remain the property of the
Company and/or the applicable Covered Entity (subject to the terms of any
separate agreement between the Company and/or its Parent Companies and the
affected Covered Entity), whether or not such materials constitute or contain
Confidential Information, and all copies of such materials shall be returned to
the Company immediately upon the termination of Executive's services to the
Company. In the event that the Company notifies the Executive that it has
entered into a confidentiality agreement with a Covered Entity or with any
Affiliate of the Company with respect to confidential information to be provided
to the Company, the Executive shall comply with such reasonable obligations
thereunder as are applicable to the Executive.

            (b) Innovations; Inventions. Executive hereby sells, transfers and
assigns to the Company all right, title and interest of Executive in and to any
and all inventions, ideas, disclosures and improvements of any kind or nature
whatsoever, whether patented or unpatented, and any and all copyrightable
materials, in either case whether made or conceived in whole or in part by
Executive alone or together with others, from January 1, 1998 to the date of
this Agreement or during the initial term of this Agreement or any renewal term,
that (i) relate to any methods, designs, products, processes, apparatus, service
or devices sold, leased used or under construction or development by the Company
or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates, (ii) relate to the business,

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functions or operations of the Company or any of its subsidiaries or affiliates
or (iii) arise from, in whole or in part, the efforts of Executive on behalf of
the Company. Executive will communicate and disclose to the Company promptly all
information, data and details pertaining to any inventions, ideas, disclosures
and improvements described above, in such form or format as the Company may
reasonably request. During the term of this Agreement or any renewal term and
thereafter, Executive will execute, acknowledge or deliver to the Company (at
the Company's expense) such formal transfers and assignments and such other
papers and documents as may be required of Executive to permit the Company to
file and prosecute any patent applications to the Company desires to file and
prosecute relating to any of the foregoing, and, as to copyrightable material,
to obtain copyright thereon.

            5. Non-Competition; Non-Solicitation.

            (a) In view of the unique value to the Company of Executive's
services and because of the Confidential Information to be obtained by or
disclosed to Executive as described above, Executive agrees that, during the
term of this Agreement and for a period of six months thereafter, provided that
this Agreement is not terminated by the Company without Cause or by Executive
for Good Reason:

                  (i) Executive will not directly or indirectly assist or become
      associated with any wireless voice communications service provider in any
      business of such provider that competes in any of the markets of any of
      the Restricted Entities, whether as a principal, partner, employee,
      consultant or shareholder (other than as a holder of less than 5% of the
      outstanding voting shares of any publicly traded company);

                  (ii) Executive will not directly or indirectly solicit for
      employment or employ any employee of any of the Restricted Entities,
      unless such solicited person shall have ceased to be employed by any such
      entity for a period of at least six months; and

                  (iii) Executive will not directly or indirectly, solicit
      business from customers of any of the Restricted Entities, provided that
      the foregoing shall not restrict Executive or any entity with which
      Executive is associated from soliciting or doing business with any
      customer of any of the Restricted Entities, if such solicitation does not
      interfere with any business relationship between such solicited customer
      and any of the Restricted Entities.

            (b) If Executive violates any provision of Section 4 or Section
5(a), the Company shall be entitled to receive from Executive reimbursement for
any and all damages caused by such breach, provided that Executive shall not be
liable for indirect, special, consequential or punitive damages (it being
understood and agreed that this remedy is in addition to, and not a limitation
on, any injunctive relief or other rights or remedies to which the Company is or
may be entitled to at law or in equity). Executive acknowledges and agrees that
the Company's (and as applicable, each Restricted Entity's) remedies at law for
a breach or threatened breach of any provision of Section 4 or Section 5(a)
would be inadequate and, in recognition of this fact, Executive agrees that, in
the

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event of such a breach or threatened breach, in addition to any remedies at law,
the Company and, as to Article 4, each Covered Entity and, as to Article 5, each
Restricted Entity, without posting any bond, shall be entitled to obtain
equitable relief in the form of specific performance, temporary restraining
order, temporary or permanent injunction or any other equitable remedy which may
then be available. As provided in Section 10(b) hereof, the equitable remedies
referenced in this Section 5(b) shall be in addition to, and not in substitution
for or exclusion of, any other remedies available at law or in equity for any
breach of either or both of Sections 4 or 5. Executive and the Company each
specifically acknowledge and agree that the provisions of Sections 4 and 5 are
for the express benefit of each Covered Entity (in the case of Section 4) and
each Restricted Entity and that (i) no waiver, amendment or other modification
of Sections 4 or 5 with respect to a Covered Entity or Restricted Entity shall
be effective unless it has been consented to in writing by such Covered Entity
or Restricted Entity, as the case may be, and (ii) each such Covered Entity and
Restricted Entity shall be entitled to enforce the provisions of Section 4
and/or 5 hereof (as appropriate) as fully and with the same rights and effect as
if such Covered Entity or Restricted Entity were a signatory party to this
Agreement.

            (c) If any provisions of Section 4 or Section 5(a) are held to be
invalid or unenforceable, the remaining provisions shall nevertheless continue
to be valid and enforceable as though the invalid or unenforceable parts had not
been included.

            6. Noncontravention. The execution, delivery and performance by
Executive of this Agreement does not and will not (i) violate any applicable
law, rule, regulation, judgment, injunction, order or decree or (ii) require any
consent or other action by any person under, constitute a default under (with
due notice or lapse of time or both), or give rise to any right of termination,
cancellation or acceleration of any right or obligation of Executive or to a
loss of any material benefit to which Executive is entitled under any provision
of any agreement or other instrument binding upon Executive, to the extent that
any of the foregoing would have a material adverse effect on Executive or would
prevent or otherwise render unable Executive to perform his obligations under
this Agreement.

            7. Termination. This Agreement shall automatically terminate (and
the term of this Agreement shall thereupon terminate) upon the occurrence of any
one of the following events:

            (a) Death of Executive.

            (b) If Executive shall have been incapacitated from illness,
accident or other disability and unable to perform his normal duties hereunder
for a cumulative period of three months in any period of six consecutive months,
and no reasonable accommodation being available, upon either party giving the
other party not less than 30 days' written notice.

            (c) The Expiration Date or the scheduled expiration date of any
renewal or extension thereof in compliance with Section 1(b).

            (d) By the Company for Cause.

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            (e) By Executive for Good Reason. Upon the occurrence of any event
or the existence of any condition or circumstance constituting Good Reason,
Executive may by notice to the Board, deem a constructive termination of this
Agreement to have occurred, whereupon Executive shall be entitled to the
compensation set forth in Section 7(b).

            (f) Upon not less than 30 days' written notice from Executive to the
Company of his voluntary resignation; provided, that such voluntary resignation
shall not relieve or release Executive from any breach of this Agreement at or
prior to the time of such resignation.

            8. Effect of Termination.

            (a) Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to Sections 7(a),
(b), (c), (d) or (f) the Company shall compensate Executive (or, in the event of
Executive's death, his surviving spouse, if any, or his estate), for (x) accrued
but unused vacation time, (y) any base salary earned, but unpaid, for services
rendered to the Company on or prior to the date of termination and (z) amounts
which Executive is otherwise entitled to receive under the terms of or in
accordance with any plan, policy, practice or program of, or contract or
agreement with the Company, as in effect immediately prior to the date of such
termination, (including but not limited to the Purchase Agreement), at or
subsequent to the date of termination without regard to the performance by
Executive of further services or the resolution of any contingency, but subject
to any and all rights, remedies and claims of the Company against Executive.

            (b) If Executive resigns for Good Reason or his employment with the
Company is terminated without Cause, the Company shall thereupon pay Executive
the following amounts as severance benefits: (i) all amounts payable pursuant to
Section 8(a), and (ii) a lump sum equal to (x) if Executive resigns for Good
Reason, one year's base salary hereunder plus an amount equal to the most recent
annual bonus, if any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(a)(ii) or (y)
if Executive's employment is terminated without Cause, six months' base salary
hereunder plus an amount equal to one-half of the most recent annual bonus, if
any, received by Executive pursuant to Section 3(a)(ii).

            9. Definitions. As used herein, the following terms shall have the
following meanings set forth below:

            "Affiliate" means, with respect to the Company, any person or entity
who or which, directly or indirectly, controls, is controlled by, or is under
common control with, the Company or NPI.

            "Cause" means (i) Executive's conviction of a felony evidencing
criminal dishonesty or moral turpitude, (ii) a willful and material breach of
Executive's duty of loyalty to the Company or its parent Nextel Partners, Inc.
or (iii) after 20 business days following Executive's receipt of written notice
from the Company specifying the particulars in reasonable detail, Executive's
failure to comply with or to cure, as applicable, (A) a willful and material
refusal to comply with specific

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written directions of the Board (or specific written directions of the Chief
Executive Officer) consistent with Executive's employment agreement with NPI or
the Company or any of their respective subsidiaries and capable of being
performed by him or (B) a willful and material breach of Executive's duty of due
care to the Company.

            "Class A Common Stock" means the Class A Common Stock, par value
$.001 per share, of NPI.

            "Closing" has the meaning specified in the Purchase Agreement.

            "Covered Entities" means, collectively, the Restricted Entities and
such other entities as may from time to time be reasonably agreed to by the
Company and the Executive to be Covered Entities hereunder.

            "FCC" means the Federal Communications Commission.

            "FCC Modifications" means changes to the agreements relating to the
governance and operation of the Company that are implemented in response to any
assertion or finding by the FCC that such agreements constitute an impermissible
change of control of the FCC licenses made available by NWIP to the Company
thereunder, which changes are implemented in order to cause such agreements to
be in compliance with FCC requirements so as to reflect the intent of the
parties thereto that no impermissible change of control take place.

            "Good Reason" means (i) a material adverse change in Executive's
duties, responsibilities or reporting relationships, (ii) a relocation of
Executive's principal office to a location more than 30 miles away from his then
current office, (iii) a reduction of salary not agreed to by Executive, or
material diminution of other employee benefits (other than any change in
employee benefits approved by the Board and implemented in a non-discriminatory
fashion with respect to all participating employees), or any other material
adverse change in his working conditions, (iv) a material breach by the Company
of other obligations under Executive's employment agreement with the Company or
a subsidiary of the Company that are not cured after 20 business days following
the Company's receipt of a written notification from Executive specifying the
particulars in reasonable detail, and (v) from and after the Closing, following
the implementation of any FCC Modifications, if NWIP exercises control over
day-to-day operating decisions, policy decisions or personnel decisions of the
Company pursuant to such FCC Modifications that (before such modifications)
would have been decisions made by the Company's management and such control
exercised by NWIP is materially more extensive (in the collective reasonable
judgment of the Senior Managers then employed by the Company) than that which
NWIP could have exercised under the agreements to which NWIP is a party relating
to the governance and operation of the Company before giving effect to the FCC
Modifications. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a termination with Good Reason
under clause (v) above shall not be deemed effective until 120 days following
written notice by the Executive to the Company of the occurrence of any of the
foregoing and only if the foregoing continue to occur as of such 120th day.

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            "Joint Venture Agreement" means the Joint Venture Agreement, to be
dated the date of the Closing, among Nextel, NPI and the Company.

            "Nextel" means NEXTEL Communications, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

            "NPI" means Nextel Partners, Inc., a Delaware corporation.

            "NWIP" means Nextel WIP Corp., a Delaware corporation and a wholly
owned subsidiary of Nextel.

            "Parent Companies" means NPI and any other entity that directly or
indirectly owns all or substantially all of the Company's outstanding voting
capital stock.

            "Purchase Agreement" means the Restricted Stock Purchase Agreement,
dated as of November 20, 1998, between Executive and the Company.

            "Required Build" means the completion of the build out of all
Initial Sections (as defined in the Joint Venture Agreement) assigned to the
first or second Build Year (as defined in the Joint Venture Agreement), and of
any Option Sections (as defined in the Joint Venture Agreement) assigned to the
first or second Build Year that are included in the Territory (as defined in the
Joint Venture Agreement) through the Company's election under Section 6.2B of
the Joint Venture Agreement, but excluding any such Option Sections that are
included in the Territory (as defined in the Joint Venture Agreement) as a
result of the Company's response to a notice given pursuant to Section 6.2C of
the Joint Venture Agreement.

            "Restricted Entities" means, collectively, the Company, Nextel and
the Parent Companies and their respective subsidiaries.

            "Scheduled Completion Date" means 60 days after December 31, 2001.

            "Senior Managers" means, collectively, John Chapple, John Thompson,
David Thaler, David Aas, Perry Satterlee and Mark Fanning.

            "Shares" means the shares of Class A Common Stock purchased by
Executive pursuant to the Purchase Agreement.

            10. Miscellaneous.

            (a) Merger; Amendment. This Agreement (together with the Purchase
Agreement) constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to
the subject matter hereof, and may be changed, extended or modified only by an
agreement in writing signed by the parties.

            (b) Assignment. The rights and obligations of the Company in this
Agreement shall inure to its benefit and be binding upon its successors in
interest (whether by merger,

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consolidation, reorganization, sale of stock or assets or otherwise), provided
that Executive shall not remain bound by this Agreement unless such successor
assumes all of the obligations of the Company hereunder. This Agreement shall
also inure to the benefit of Executive's heirs, executors, administrators and
legal representatives. This Agreement, being for the personal services of
Executive, shall not be assignable by Executive. Certain provisions of Section 4
and 5 of this Agreement are, for the purposes specified therein, intended to
inure to the benefit of certain affiliates of the Company and to be enforceable
separately by them as provided therein.

            (c) Waiver of Breach. The waiver by any party of a breach of any
provision of this Agreement shall not operate or be construed as a waiver of any
subsequent breach by any party.

            (d) Arbitration. Except as otherwise provided herein, any
controversies or claims arising out of, or relating to this Agreement or the
breach thereof, shall be settled by arbitration in accordance with the
commercial rules of the American Arbitration Association, which decision shall
be final and binding on the parties, and judgment upon the award rendered shall
be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. Any party may demand such
arbitration in accordance with the procedures set out in those rules. The
arbitration shall be conducted in Seattle, Washington, or such other location as
may be mutually agreed upon by the parties. Special, consequential, or punitive
damages shall not be awarded by the arbitrator. In the event of any arbitration
proceeding hereunder, the Company will (x) pay the fees and expenses of the
arbitrator and (y) advance the Executive's documented out-of-pocket costs
(including reasonable counsel fees and expenses) on a current basis, provided,
that if Executive is determined not to be the substantially prevailing party on
the matters submitted for arbitration (which determination shall be made by the
arbitrator and included in his or her decision), Executive will promptly
reimburse the Company for any expenses so advanced. Executive acknowledges that
the Company is agreeing to make advances to him pursuant to the preceding
sentence in consideration of his agreement to reimburse the Company for any such
advances to the extent required by the preceding sentence. The Company will in
all events pay its own costs (including counsel fees and expenses) in connection
with any arbitration proceeding hereunder.

            (e) Notices. All notices given hereunder shall be in writing and
shall be deemed to have been duly given and received (i) when delivered
personally, with receipt acknowledged in writing by the recipient, (ii) on the
tenth business day alter being sent by registered or certified mail (postage
paid, return receipt requested), (iii) one business day after being sent by a
reputable overnight delivery service, postage or delivery charges prepaid, or
(iv) on the date on which a facsimile is transmitted, in each case to the
parties at their respective addresses stated below; provided, that if the
intended recipient of any notice hereunder refuses to acknowledge receipt
thereof in writing, such notice shall be deemed to have been duly given on the
date of such refusal. Any party may change its address for notice by giving
notice of the new address to the other party in accordance with the provisions
of this paragraph.

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                 If to the Company:

                 Nextel Partners Operating Corp.
                 4500 Carillon Point
                 Kirkland, WA 08033
                 Attention: General Counsel
                 Facsimile: 425-828-8098

                 with a copy to:

                 Nextel WIP Corp.
                 1505 Farm Credit Drive
                 McLean, VA 22102
                 Attention: General Counsel
                 Facsimile: 703-394-3496

                 If to Executive:

                 Mark P. Fanning
                 Nextel Partners Operating Corp.
                 4500 Carillon Point
                 Kirkland, WA 98033
                 Facsimile: 425-828-8098

                 and

                 Mark P. Fanning
                 4867 Sunset Beach Road
                 Augurn, NY 13021

            (f) Severability. The invalidity or unenforceability of any
particular provision of this Agreement shall not affect the other provisions
hereof, and the Agreement shall be construed in all respects as though such
invalid or unenforceable provision were omitted.

            (g) Survival. The provisions of Sections 3(d), 4, 5, 8 and 10 shall
survive any termination of this Agreement.

            (h) Governing Law. This Agreement shall be interpreted according to
the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to choice of law
rules that would result in the application of the laws of another State.

            (i) Remedies Cumulative. All rights, powers and remedies provided
under this Agreement or otherwise available in respect hereof at law or in
equity shall be cumulative and not

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alternative, and the exercise or the beginning of the exercise of any thereof by
any party shall not preclude the simultaneous or later exercise of any other
such right, power or remedy by such party.

            (j) Waiver of Jury Trail. EACH OF THE PARTIES HERETO HEREBY
IRREVOCABLY WAIVES ANY AND ALL RIGHT TO TRIAL BY JURY IN ANY LEGAL PROCEEDING
ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT OR THE TRANSACTIONS CONTEMPLATED
HEREBY.

                                      * * *

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            IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.

                                            NEXTEL PARTNERS OPERATING CORP.

                                            By /s/ John Chapple
                                               ---------------------------------
                                            Name: John Chapple
                                            Title: President and Chief Executive
                                                                 Officer

                                            ------------------------------------
                                            MARK P. FANNING

<PAGE>

            IN WITNESS WHEREOF. the parties have executed this Agreement as of
the date first above written.

                                            NEXTEL PARTNERS OPERATING CORP.

                                            By /s/ John Chapple
                                               ---------------------------------
                                            Name:
                                            Title:

                                            /s/ Mark P. Fanning
                                            ------------------------------------
                                            MARK P. FANNING<PAGE>
                                                                   Exhibit 10.39

                                           October 13, 1999

Donald Manning, Esq.
Nextel Partners Operating Corp.
4500 Carillon Point
Kirkland, WA 98033

      Re:   Appointment of Nextel Partners Operating Corp. ("Partners") as
            Designee of Nextel WIP Corp. ("NWIP") to Perform Specified Duties
            under Section 6.9 of Joint Venture Agreement (the "JVA") dated as of
            January 29, 1999 by and among Partners, NWIP, and Nextel Partners,
            Inc. ("NPI")

Dear Don:

      This letter (the "Designation") sets forth the agreement with respect to
(i) the appointment of Partners to perform specified duties on behalf of NWIP
and as NWIP's designee under and for purposes of Section 6.9 of the JVA, and
(ii) the designation of Partners as a "Transferring Subsidiary" for purposes of
the Site Commitment Agreement (as defined below). Capitalized terms used in this
Designation but not otherwise defined herein shall have the same meanings
assigned to them in the JVA.

      o     In exercising its rights under Section 6.9 of the JVA, NWIP hereby
            authorizes and appoints Partners to perform specified duties on its
            behalf and as its designee for the sole purpose of contracting
            directly with one or more third parties (the "Contractors"),
            including Tower Asset Sub, Inc. ("Tower Sub"), to perform (subject
            to Section 6.9A of the JVA) the Site Acquisition Work and tower
            construction work referenced in Section 6.9B of the JVA
            (collectively, the "Work").

      o     The authorization and appointment set forth in the preceding
            paragraph is revocable by NWIP in its sole and absolute discretion
            upon ten (10) calendar days prior written notice to Partners;
            provided, however, that in the event NWIP exercises its right to
            revoke this Designation for convenience, NWIP, in accordance with
            and to the extent set forth in Section 6.9B of the JVA, shall be
            liable for any delays in Site Acquisition Work or construction
            caused by such revocation on and after such revocation, and any such
            delays shall constitute an Excusable Delay as set forth in Sections
            6.9B and 12.5 of the JVA.

      o     For so long as and to the extent this Designation is in effect, as
            concerns all actions taken or omitted, and all Work performed by
            Partners as designee of NWIP hereunder, Partners acknowledges and
            agrees that such actions are taken or omitted, and such Work is
            performed, by Partners in place of and in substitution for NWIP, and
            that, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Section 6.9 of the
            JVA or any other provision of the JVA relating to liability or
            responsibility for the consequences of failure to timely and
            properly take or complete any such action or Work, (i) NWIP shall
            have no liability or responsibility of any nature whatsoever to
            Partners in connection with any such action, omission, or Work, and
            (ii) Partners' failure to timely and properly take or complete (or
            arrange for the taking or completion of) any such action or Work
            (other than because of any act of any government in its sovereign
            capacity (including zoning or licensing actions), war or
            insurrection, strike or slow down, extreme weather, fire,
            earthquake, flood, epidemic, quarantine restriction, or acts of God
            or other such occurrences or events beyond the control of Partners)
            shall not constitute an Excusable Delay for purposes of the
<PAGE>

Donald Manning, Esq.
October 13,1999
Page 2

            JVA or otherwise relieve or release Partners from any of its
            obligations under the JVA, including without limitation, those
            relating to the scheduled Build Out of its ESMR Network.

      o     Pursuant to this Designation and the terms of Section 2.1 of the
            Master Site Commitment Agreement (the "Site Commitment Agreement")
            dated as of April 20, 1999 among Nextel Communications, Inc., Nextel
            of New York, Inc., Nextel Communications of the Mid-Atlantic, Inc.,
            Nextel South Corp., Nextel of California, Inc., Tower Parent Corp.,
            SpectraSite Holdings, Inc., and Tower Asset Sub, Inc., Partners
            shall be designated as, and shall be deemed to be, a "Transferring
            Subsidiary" as that term is defined in the Site Commitment
            Agreement. All Work shall be arranged and/or performed strictly in
            accordance with the terms of the Site Commitment Agreement, and all
            towers that are the subject of the Work shall meet the Minimum
            Specifications of the Site Commitment Agreement, except as otherwise
            expressly consented to in writing by NWIP, which consent shall not
            be unreasonably withheld or delayed. Partners shall cause all
            Contractors engaged by it or with its authorization to perform the
            Work in compliance with this paragraph.

      o     Partners shall report monthly to NWIP on the status of the Work for
            each tower site that is or has been constructed by Partners pursuant
            to Section 6.9 of the JVA and this Designation or by Tower Sub in
            the Partner Area pursuant to the Site Commitment Agreement. Such
            report shall be in the form of Annex I attached hereto, which form
            may be modified from time to time with the mutual agreement of the
            parties. Partners shall maintain all records and information,
            including, without limitation, site leases, construction plans,
            permits, and the like, required to be maintained or provided by a
            Transferring Subsidiary under the Site Commitment Agreement. In
            addition, Partners shall provide NWIP with copies of any notices
            delivered or received by it pursuant to the Site Commitment
            Agreement and shall, on NWIP's request and at NWIP's expense,
            provide NWIP with copies of and access to any and all information
            and materials relating to Partner's performance of the Work or
            relating to the Site Commitment Agreement.

      o     Each of NPI and Partners represents and warrants that (i) it is duly
            authorized to execute, deliver, and perform its obligations under
            this Designation, (ii) no consents, authorizations, approvals, or
            notices are needed to effect the transactions contemplated by this
            Designation, and (iii) the execution, delivery, and performance by
            it of its obligations under this Designation will not contravene any
            applicable laws, rules, or regulations, and will not conflict with
            or result in any material breach of, or constitute a material
            default under, any indenture, mortgage, deed of trust, or other
            instrument or agreement to which it is a party or by which it is
            bound or to which any of its assets may be subject.

      o     For so long as and to the extent this Designation is in effect,
            Partners shall be solely liable for all costs associated with the
            Work. Nextel shall have no liability or obligation to any party,
            under the JVA, the Site Commitment Agreement, or otherwise, with
            respect to the Work, including, without limitation, any liability
            whatsoever for any delays, deficiencies or other defaults relating
            to the Work. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, so
            long
<PAGE>

Donald Manning, Esq.
October 13, 1999
Page 3

            as Partners is responsible for, or is authorized to make
            arrangements with Contractors for, conducting the Work, and except
            as expressly set forth in the second paragraph of this Designation,
            Partners shall not be entitled to any remedy contemplated by Section
            6.9B of the JVA with respect to such Work. This paragraph shall
            survive the revocation or expiration of this Designation to the
            extent it relates to Work performed or in progress during the term
            of this Designation.

      o     Partners, for itself and its successors and assigns, hereby releases
            and forever discharges, and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless,
            Nextel and each of its affiliates, subsidiaries, predecessors,
            officers, directors, agents, shareholders, employees, insurers, and
            representatives from and against any and all liability, claims,
            demands, or actions in any way relating to Partners' activities as
            contemplated by this Designation or to the Work or arising from
            Partners' noncompliance with the terms and conditions of this
            Designation. NPI is and shall remain jointly and severally liable
            with Partners for the full and punctual performance of the
            indemnification obligations set forth in this paragraph. This
            paragraph shall survive the revocation or expiration of this
            Designation to the extent it relates to any acts or omissions
            arising or occurring during the term of this Designation.

      o     This Designation shall remain in effect until the earlier of (i)
            NWIP's revocation of its appointment of Partners in accordance with
            the second paragraph hereof, and (ii) the Build Stop Date.

      o     Nothing in this Designation shall be construed to create the
            relationship of partners, joint venturers, employer/employee,
            principal/agent, or any other joint enterprise.

      o     The parties each shall deliver such further documents or assurances
            as may be reasonably required by the other to effect the
            authorization and appointment contemplated hereby.

      o     Except as provided herein, the terms and conditions of the JVA shall
            remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

                  [REMAINDER OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK]
<PAGE>

Donald Manning, Esq.
October 13,1999
Page 4

      Please indicate your acceptance of the foregoing by causing this letter to
be signed by a duly authorized representative and returned to me at your
earliest convenience.

                                        NEXTEL WIP CORP.

                                        By: /s/ Alan Strauss
                                           -------------------------------------
                                        Name: Alan Strauss
                                             -----------------------------------
                                        Title: Vice President
                                              ----------------------------------

ACCEPTED AND AGREED:

NEXTEL PARTNERS
  OPERATING CORP.

By: /s/ Donald J. Manning
   --------------------------------
Name: Donald J. Manning
     ------------------------------
Title: Vice President
      -----------------------------

ACCEPTED AND AGREED:

NEXTEL PARTNERS, INC.

By: /s/ Donald J. Manning
   --------------------------------
Name: Donald J. Manning
     ------------------------------
Title: Vice President
      -----------------------------

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