RESTON, Va. & IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 7, 2004-- Nextel's Lifestyle Brand Targeted at Youth Market Achieves Success with Boost Walkie-Talkie(TM) Pay-As-You-Go Offering and Innovative Marketing

Nextel Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:NXTL) announced today that its youth lifestyle brand, Boost Mobile, signed up its one-millionth customer. This milestone demonstrates the brand's appeal among today's youth and the widespread popularity of Boost Mobile's Walkie-Talkie(TM) service.

"With a $100 billion of annual spending power, young, tech-savvy consumers are an important source of wireless industry growth and we believe that our push to talk service will continue to differentiate us from the competition," said Tom Kelly, executive vice president and chief operating officer of Nextel. "We launched the Boost brand in the U.S. with a focus that was different from Nextel's traditional business, but using the same great network and same great technology. This formula is working beautifully, as evidenced by the one million Boost customers and the popularity of Boost Walkie-Talkie, which on average, is more than 50 percent of Boost customers' minutes of use," added Kelly.

Nextel introduced Boost Mobile to the U.S. in California and Nevada in September 2002 as a test program. Building upon the brand's success in these test markets, Nextel expanded Boost Mobile product availability in March 2004 to seven additional U.S. markets, including the New York Tri-State Area, Philadelphia, Florida, Texas, Maryland/Virginia/Washington D.C., Midwest (Chicago, Milwaukee, Indiana) and Minneapolis, and in October 2004 to three additional U.S. markets, including the Ohio Valley (Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton and Pittsburgh), Michigan (Detroit, Ann Arbor, Flint, Lansing and Grand Rapids) and Phoenix. Boost Mobile products and services are now for sale in 12 U.S. markets where approximately 163 million people live, work and play.

"Since our U.S. service launch in September 2002, Boost Mobile's goal has been to offer a quality wireless product and experience to the high value youth segment," said Don Girskis, vice president and general manager of Boost Mobile. "From our new wireless phones designed to meet the lifestyle needs of today's youth to our strategic distribution, Boost continues to build a credible and authentic brand and offer products immersed in youth lifestyle and culture. Our strategy is working well with more than one million customers, and our tagline 'Where You At?' is being heard far and wide."

Boost Mobile offers feature-packed wireless phones, its signature Boost Walkie-Talkie (digital push to talk technology) and Re-Boost pay-as-you-go airtime cards at locations where youth prefer to shop, including national retailers such as Best Buy, Sam Goody, Target and Wal-Mart. Boost phones and service are also available in Nextel Retail Stores, independent wireless dealers, and online at www.boostmobile.com. Re-Boost cards are available at national convenience stores, including 7-Eleven and Circle K.

Not only has Boost Mobile found favor with its target audience, but also with retailers. Best Buy's business team leader - wireless solutions Tom Hebert said, "Boost Mobile's advertising and brand management is innovative, relates to the youth demographic and helps drive unique customers to Best Buy."

7-Eleven, category manager services, Kevin Cooper said, "When it comes to targeting Generation Y customers, nobody can compete with Boost Mobile."

Boost Mobile has sponsored internationally acclaimed alternative youth sporting events and created innovative marketing including its Anthem music-video-style TV ad. To view Boost Mobile commercials visit www.boostmobile.com.

About Nextel

Nextel Communications, a FORTUNE 200 company based in Reston, Va., is a leading provider of fully integrated wireless communications services and has built the largest guaranteed all-digital wireless network in the country covering thousands of communities across the United States. Today 95 percent of FORTUNE 500(R) companies are Nextel customers. Nextel and Nextel Partners, Inc. currently serve 297 of the top 300 U.S. markets where approximately 259 million people live or work.

About Boost Mobile

Boost Mobile, an Irvine, California-based division of Nextel Communications (NASDAQ:NXTL), is a provider of quality wireless telecommunications products and services that have gained a zealous following due to Boost's brand recognition and popularity among today's youth. Boost Mobile's unique marketing approach blends action sports, music, fashion and entertainment to reach young consumers in 12 U.S. markets where Boost(TM) wireless service is currently offered. Boost is the only wireless service provider to offer any true service differentiation by making Nextel's national push to talk digital walkie-talkie technology available as a pay-as-you-go feature. Boost Mobile offers Boost-branded wireless phones, its signature Boost(TM) Walkie-Talkie service and Re-Boost(TM) Pay-As-You-Go cards at retail locations where youth prefer to shop, including national retail and convenience stores, and merchants that focus on fashion, music, and action sports-related activities. Boost resonates with its consumers through strategic partnerships with leading youth lifestyle brands such as Quiksilver, Roxy, DUB, AND1 and others. Experience Boost on the Web at www.boostmobile.com.

CONTACT: Nextel Communications Inc.
Media Contact:
Russell Wilkerson, 703-433-3063
or
Investor Contact:
Paul Blalock 703-433-4300
or
Boost Mobile:
Media Contact:
Andy Colley, 949-789-4822

SOURCE: Nextel Communications Inc.