Exhibit 5.1

                      [LETTERHEAD OF DEWEY BALLANTINE LLP]



                                 March 27, 2003

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

                  Re:      Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

                  We have acted as counsel to Nextel Communications, Inc., a
Delaware corporation (the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") by the Company, and by Nextel Capital Trust I,
Nextel Capital Trust II and Nextel Capital Trust III, each a statutory trust
formed under the laws of the State of Delaware (each a "Trust" and collectively,
the "Trusts"), on March 27, 2003 (the "Registration Statement"). The
Registration Statement relates to the issuance and sale from time to time,
pursuant to Rule 415 of the General Rules and Regulations promulgated under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), of the following
securities with an aggregate initial public offering price of up to
$5,000,000,000: (i) class A common stock, par value $0.001 per share, of the
Company ("Common Stock"); (ii) one or more classes or series of preferred stock,
par value $0.01 per share, of the Company ("Preferred Stock"), interests in
which may be represented by depositary shares of the Company ("Depositary
Shares"); (iii) one or more series of debt securities of the Company ("Debt
Securities"), consisting of debentures, notes and/or other evidences of
indebtedness, which may be unsubordinated ("Senior Debt Securities") or
subordinated ("Subordinated Debt Securities") to certain other obligations of
the Company; (iv) warrants to purchase Securities (as hereinafter defined) of
the Company ("Warrants"); (v) trust preferred securities of one or more of the
Trusts ("Trust Preferred Securities"), and related guarantees by the Company of
the Trust Preferred Securities (individually, a "Trust Guarantee," and
collectively, the "Trust Guarantees"); (vi) purchase contracts obligating
holders to purchase Securities (as hereinafter defined) at a future date or
dates ("Purchase Contracts"); and (vii) units comprised of one or more
Securities (as hereinafter defined) in any combination ("Units," and together
with the Common Stock, Preferred Stock, Depositary Shares, Debt Securities,
Warrants, Trust Preferred Securities, Trust Guarantees and Purchase Contracts,
"Securities").

                  The Senior Debt Securities may be issued under a senior debt
securities indenture in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, as amended or supplemented from time to time (the "Senior
Indenture"), proposed to be entered into

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March 27, 2003
Page 2



between the Company and one or more trustees chosen by the Company and qualified
to act as such under the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended (the "TIA")
(any such trustee, the "Senior Indenture Trustee"). The Subordinated Debt
Securities may be issued under a subordinated debt securities indenture in the
form filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, as amended or
supplemented from time to time (the "Subordinated Indenture"), proposed to be
entered into between the Company and one or more trustees chosen by the Company
and qualified to act as such under the TIA (any such trustee, the "Subordinated
Indenture Trustee"). The Senior Indenture and the Subordinated Indenture are
sometimes hereinafter referred to individually as an "Indenture" and
collectively as the "Indentures." The Warrants may be issued under a warrant
agreement in a form that will be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein (a
"Warrant Agreement"). The Trust Preferred Securities may be issued by a Trust
pursuant to an amended and restated trust agreement in the form filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement, as amended or supplemented from time to
time (a "Trust Agreement"), proposed to be entered into among the Company, as
depositor, a Property Trustee, a Delaware Trustee and the Administrative
Trustees to be named therein, and each Trust Guarantee may be issued pursuant to
a guarantee agreement in the form filed as an exhibit to the Registration
Statement, as amended or supplemented from time to time (a "Guarantee
Agreement"), proposed to be entered into between the Company and the trustee to
be named therein. The Purchase Contracts may be issued under a purchase contract
agreement in a form that will be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein (a
"Purchase Contract Agreement"). The Units may be issued under a unit agreement
in a form that will be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the
Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein (a "Unit
Agreement").

                  This opinion is delivered in accordance with the requirements
of Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K under the Securities Act.

                  We have examined (i) the Registration Statement; (ii) the form
of Senior Indenture; (iii) the form of Subordinated Indenture; (iv) the form of
Amended and Restated Trust Agreement; (v) the form of Guarantee Agreement; (vi)
the Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as amended and
currently in effect (the "Certificate of Incorporation"); (vii) the Amended and
Restated Bylaws of the Company as currently in effect (the "Bylaws"); and (viii)
the resolutions adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company (the "Board")
relating to the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Securities (the
"Board Resolutions"). We also have examined originals or copies, certified or
otherwise identified to our satisfaction, of such certificates of officers or
other representatives of the Company, and such other agreements, documents,
certificates and records as we have deemed necessary or appropriate as a basis
for the opinions set forth herein.

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March 27, 2003
Page 3


                  In our examination, we have assumed the legal capacity of all
natural persons, the genuineness of all signatures, the authenticity of all
documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to original documents of
all documents submitted to us as certified, conformed or photostatic copies and
the authenticity of the originals of such latter documents. In making our
examination of documents executed by parties other than the Company, we have
assumed that such parties had the legal power to enter into and perform all
their obligations thereunder and also have assumed the due authorization by all
requisite action, corporate or other, and execution and delivery by such parties
of such documents and the validity and binding effect thereof. As to any facts
material to the opinions expressed herein which were not independently
established or verified, we have relied upon oral or written statements and
representations of officers and other representatives of the Company and others.

                  In our capacity as your counsel in connection with the
Registration Statement, we are familiar with the proceedings taken and proposed
to be taken by the Company in connection with the Registration Statement and the
authorization and issuance of the Securities. For purposes of this opinion, we
have assumed that such proceedings will be timely and properly completed, in
accordance with all requirements of applicable Federal, New York and Delaware
laws, in the manner presently proposed.

                  Based upon the foregoing and in reliance thereon, and subject
to the qualifications and limitations set forth herein, we are of the opinion
that:

                  1. With respect to any offering of Common Stock (the "Offered
Common Stock"), the shares of the Offered Common Stock (including any Offered
Common Stock duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any other
Securities) will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor is not less than the par
value thereof.

                  2. With respect to any offering of any series of Preferred
Stock (the "Offered Preferred Stock"), when the Certificate of Designations (as
hereinafter defined) has been duly filed with the Secretary of State of the
State of Delaware, the shares of the Offered Preferred Stock (including any
Offered Preferred Stock duly issued upon conversion, exchange or exercise of any
other Securities), will be duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid and
nonassessable, provided that the consideration therefor is not less than the par
value thereof.

                  3. With respect to any offering of any series of Depositary
Shares (the "Offered Depositary Shares"), when (i) the deposit agreement
relating to the Offered Depositary Shares, in the form to be filed as an exhibit
to a post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement or incorporated by
reference therein (the "Deposit Agreement"), has been duly executed and
delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action by the Board
or a duly appointed committee thereof; and (ii) the Preferred Stock which is
represented by the Offered Depositary Shares is duly authorized, validly issued
and delivered to the Depositary in accordance with the laws of

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March 27, 2003
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the State of Delaware, (a) the Offered Depositary Shares will be valid and
binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms and (b) when the receipts evidencing the Offered
Depositary Shares ("Receipts") are duly issued against the deposit of the
Preferred Stock in accordance with the Deposit Agreement, such Receipts will be
validly issued and will entitle the holders thereof to the rights specified
therein and in the Deposit Agreement.

                  4. With respect to any offering of any series of Debt
Securities offered under the Senior Indenture or the Subordinated Indenture (the
"Offered Debt Securities"), when (i) the applicable Indenture has been qualified
under the TIA and duly executed and delivered by the Company; and (ii) the
applicable trustee has been qualified under the TIA and a Form T-1 has been
properly filed as an exhibit to the Registration Statement, the Offered Debt
Securities (including any Offered Debt Securities duly issued upon conversion,
exchange or exercise of any other Securities) will be valid and binding
obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with
their terms.

                  5. With respect to any offering of any series of Warrants (the
"Offered Warrants"), when the Warrant Agreement relating to the Offered
Warrants, in the form to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to
the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly
executed and delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or other action
by the Board or a duly appointed committee thereof, the Offered Warrants will be
valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against the Company in
accordance with their terms.

                  6. With respect to any offering of any Trust Preferred
Securities by a Trust (the "Offered Trust Preferred Securities") and any related
Trust Guarantee by the Company (the "Offered Trust Guarantee"), when (i) the
Offered Trust Preferred Securities have been executed, authenticated and
delivered in accordance with the terms of the applicable Trust Agreement; (ii)
the applicable trustees have been qualified under the TIA and a Form T-1 in
respect of each trustee has been properly filed as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement; (iii) the applicable Trust Agreement in the form filed
as an exhibit to the Registration Statement has been qualified under the TIA and
has been duly executed and delivered by the Company and the other parties
thereto; and (iv) the applicable Guarantee Agreement in the form filed as an
exhibit to the Registration Statement has been qualified under the TIA and the
Offered Trust Guarantee has been duly executed and authenticated in accordance
with the provisions of the applicable Guarantee Agreement, the Offered Trust
Guarantee will be a valid and binding obligation of the Company, enforceable
against the Company in accordance with its terms.

                  7. With respect to any offering of Purchase Contracts (the
"Offered Purchase Contracts"), when the Purchase Contract Agreement, in the form
to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective amendment to the Registration
Statement or incorporated by reference therein, has been duly executed and
delivered as contemplated by the Board

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March 27, 2003
Page 5


Resolutions or other action by the Board or a duly appointed committee thereof,
the Offered Purchase Contracts will be valid and binding obligations of the
Company, enforceable against the Company in accordance with their terms.

                  8. With respect to any offering of any series of Units (the
"Offered Units"), when the Unit Agreement or other applicable agreement relating
to the Offered Units, in the form to be filed as an exhibit to a post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement or incorporated by reference therein,
has been duly executed and delivered as contemplated by the Board Resolutions or
other action by the Board or a duly appointed committee thereof, the Offered
Units will be valid and binding obligations of the Company, enforceable against
the Company in accordance with their terms.

                  The opinions set forth herein are subject to the following
assumptions, qualifications, limitations and exceptions being true and correct
at or prior to the time of the delivery of any Securities offered pursuant to
the Registration Statement (collectively, the "Offered Securities"): (i) the
Board, including any appropriate committee appointed thereby, and appropriate
officers of the Company shall have duly established the terms of the Offered
Securities and duly authorized and taken any other necessary corporate action to
approve the issuance and sale of the Offered Securities and related matters
(including without limitation with respect to Offered Preferred Stock, the
execution, acknowledgment and filing of a Certificate of Designations (the
"Certificate of Designations") in accordance with the applicable provisions of
the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware) and such authorizations
and actions shall have not been rescinded; (ii) the terms of the issuance and
sale of the Offered Securities shall have been duly established in conformity
with the Certificate of Incorporation and the Bylaws (collectively, the
"Formation Documents") and any applicable Deposit Agreement, Indenture, Warrant
Agreement, Trust Agreement, Guarantee Agreement, Purchase Contract or Unit
Agreement (collectively, the "Applicable Agreements"), and any other relevant
agreement so as not to violate any applicable law, the Formation Documents
(subject to the further assumption that the Formation Documents have not been
amended from the date hereof in a manner that would affect the validity of any
of the opinions rendered herein), or result in a default under or breach of any
agreement or instrument binding upon the Company and so as to comply with any
restriction imposed by any court or governmental body having jurisdiction over
the Company; (iii) the Offered Securities (and, to the extent necessary, any
securities which are a component of the Offered Purchase Contracts or Offered
Units), and any certificates or receipts representing the interests in the
relevant Offered Securities, shall have been duly authenticated, executed,
countersigned, registered and delivered upon payment of the agreed-upon
consideration therefor and shall have been duly issued and sold in accordance
with any relevant agreement (including any Applicable Agreements), any
underwriting agreement with respect to the Offered Securities or any other duly
authorized, executed and delivered, applicable, valid and binding purchase
agreement, or as otherwise contemplated by the Registration Statement or any
post-effective amendment thereto, and any Prospectus Supplement relating
thereto; (iv) the Registration Statement, as finally

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March 27, 2003
Page 6


amended (including all necessary post-effective amendments) and any additional
registration statement filed under Rule 462 will have been declared effective
under the Act and such effectiveness shall not have been terminated or
rescinded; (v) an appropriate Prospectus Supplement will have been prepared,
delivered and filed in compliance with the Securities Act and the applicable
rules and regulations thereunder describing the Offered Securities offered
thereby; (vi) the Offered Securities will be issued and sold in compliance with
applicable Federal and state securities laws and solely in the manner stated in
the Registration Statement and the applicable Prospectus Supplement and there
will not have occurred any change in law affecting the validity of the opinions
rendered herein; (vii) if the Offered Securities will be sold pursuant to a firm
commitment underwritten offering, the underwriting agreement with respect to the
Offered Securities in the form filed as an exhibit to any post-effective
amendment to the Registration Statement, or incorporated by reference therein,
shall have been duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Company and the
other parties thereto; and (viii) in the case of an Applicable Agreement or
other agreement or instrument pursuant to which any Securities are to be issued,
there shall be no terms or provisions contained therein which would affect the
validity of any of the opinions rendered herein.

                  We also have assumed that (i) the Senior Indenture and the
Subordinated Indenture each will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by
the respective trustees, and that any Debt Securities that may be issued will be
authenticated by duly authorized officers of the applicable trustee; (ii) any
Trust Agreement and Guarantee Agreement, respectively, will be duly authorized,
executed and delivered by the applicable trustees; (iii) any Deposit Agreement
will be duly authorized, executed and delivered by the Depositary, and the
Depositary Receipts will be duly signed by the Depositary; and (iv) any Warrant
Agreements, any Purchase Contracts and any Unit Agreements will be duly
authorized, executed, delivered and duly signed by the applicable parties
thereto other than the Company.

                  With respect to opinion (6) above, we have relied on the
opinion of Morris, James, Hitchens & Williams LLP, dated as of the date hereof,
as to the Trusts and the validity and legality of the Trust Preferred Securities
and related documents (other than the Trust Guarantees).

                  Members of our firm are admitted to the Bar in the State of
New York and we do not express any opinion as to the laws of any jurisdiction
other than the laws of the State of New York, the General Corporation Law of the
State of Delaware and the laws of the United States of America to the extent
referred to specifically herein. We do not express any opinion with respect to
the application of the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, or the rules,
regulations or interpretations of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to
Securities, the payment of principal or interest on which will be determined by
reference to one or more currency exchange rates, commodity prices, equity
indices or other factors. The Securities may be issued from time to time on a
delayed or continuous basis, but this opinion is limited to the laws, including
the rules

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March 27, 2003
Page 7


and regulations thereunder, as in effect on the date hereof. We disclaim any
obligation to advise you of any change in any of these sources of law or
subsequent legal or factual developments which might affect any matters or
opinions set forth herein.

                  Any opinion set forth herein as to enforceability of
obligations of the Company is subject to: (i) bankruptcy, insolvency,
reorganization, fraudulent conveyance, moratorium or similar laws affecting the
enforcement of creditors' rights generally, and by general principles of equity
(regardless of whether enforcement is sought in a proceeding in equity or at
law); (ii) provisions of law which may require that a judgment for money damages
rendered by a court in the United States be expressed only in United States
dollars; (iii) requirements that a claim with respect to any Debt Securities
denominated other than in U.S. dollars (or a judgment denominated other than in
U.S. dollars in respect of such claim) be converted into U.S. dollars at a rate
of exchange prevailing on a date determined pursuant to applicable law; and (iv)
governmental authority to limit, delay or prohibit the making of payments
outside the United States or in foreign currency or composite currency. Rights
to indemnification and contribution may also be limited by Federal and state
securities laws.

                  We express no opinion as to the validity, legally binding
effect or enforceability of any provision in any agreement or instrument that
(i) requires or relates to payment of any interest at a rate or in an amount
which a court would determine in the circumstances under applicable law to be
commercially unreasonable or a penalty or a forfeiture or (ii) relates to
governing law and submission by the parties to the jurisdiction of one or more
particular courts.

                  We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion with the
Commission as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement. We also consent to the
reference to our firm under the heading "Legal Matters" in the Registration
Statement. In giving this consent, we do not thereby admit that we are in the
category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities
Act or the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ Dewey Ballantine LLP