Prepared by MERRILL CORPORATION www.edgaradvantage.com
QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 13G

Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

(Amendment No.     )*


Nextel Partners, Inc.

(Name of Issuer)

Class A Common Stock

(Title of Class of Securities)

 

 

65333F107

 

 
   
(CUSIP Number)
   

February 22, 2000

(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule is filed:

    / /      Rule 13d-1(b)

    / /      Rule 13d-1(c)

    /x/      Rule 13d-1(d)

    *The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

    The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes).


CUSIP No.      65333F107    

             

1   NAMES OF REPORTING PERSON
S.S. or I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
John Thompson
536-48-2209
             

2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*   (a)   / /
        (b)   /x/
             

3   SEC USE ONLY
             

4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION
United States
             

NUMBER OF SHARES BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON WITH   5   SOLE VOTING POWER
1,946,498
             
       
        6   SHARED VOTING POWER
599,166 (see Item 4)
             
       
        7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
1,946,498
             
       
        8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER
599,166 (see Item 4)
             

9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON
2,545,664 (see Item 4)
             

10   CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*  / /
             

11   PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9
1.5% of the Class A Common Stock (See Item 2 and Item 4)
             

12   TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*
IN
             



Schedule 13G

    This Schedule 13G is filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on behalf of John Thompson as a party to the Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated February 18, 2000, by and among Nextel Partners, Inc. and the shareholders listed therein, and as amended by the First Amendment to the Amended and Restated Shareholders' Agreement dated February 22, 2000, between Nextel Partners, Inc. and the shareholders listed therein (the "Shareholders Agreement").

Item 1(a).  Name of Issuer:

Item 1(b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:

Item 2(a), Item 2(b) and Item 2(c). Name of Person Filing, Address of Principal Business Office and Citizenship:

    The following Non-Reporting Persons (No. 1-13) are referred to herein as the "DLJ Entities."


Item 2(d).  Title of Class of Securities:

    Class A Common Stock

Item 2(e).  CUSIP Number:

    65333F107

Item 3.  If this statement is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b), or 13d-2(b) or (c),
check whether the filing person is a:


Item 4. Ownership

    Although the Reporting Person and each Non-Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of any shares of Class A Common Stock and Class B Common Stock beneficially owned by each other Non-Reporting Person, pursuant to the Exchange Act and the regulations thereunder, the Reporting Person and the Non-Reporting Persons may be deemed as a group to have acquired beneficial ownership of 98,584,020 shares of Class A Common Stock and 79,056,228 shares of Class B Common Stock, the aggregate number of shares of Common Stock which are beneficially subject to the terms of the Stockholders Agreement, representing 59.6% of the outstanding Class A Common Stock and 100% of the outstanding Class B Common Stock as of December 31, 2000.

    The Reporting Person has, as of December 31, 2000, sole or shared power to vote or to direct the vote and sole or shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of the Common Stock as follows:

    The Reporting Person has sole power to vote and dispose of 1,946,498 shares, or 1.2% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock. In addition, the Reporting Person has shared power to vote and dispose of an aggregate of 599,166 shares, or 0.3% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock, of which 509,166 shares are held by JDT-JRT, LLC, an entity controlled by the Reporting Person (of which Janet Thompson, Lynn Thompson and Kari Thompson are also members), and 90,000 shares are held by Panther Lake LLC, an entity controlled by the Reporting Person and John Chapple. The Reporting Person may be deemed to also have the shared power to vote of an aggregate of 67,505,224 additional shares, or 40.9% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock. In addition, the Reporting Person may be deemed to have the shared power to vote an aggregate of 79,056,228 shares, or 100% of the outstanding shares, of the Class B Common Stock. The Reporting Person may also be deemed to have the shared power to dispose of an aggregate of 96,038,356 additional shares, or 58.2% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock. In addition, the Reporting Person may be deemed to have the shared power to dispose of an aggregate of 79,056,228 shares, or 100% of the outstanding shares, of the Class B Common Stock. The Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership all shares of which it may be deemed to have shared power to vote or dispose.

    The Non-Reporting Persons, as of December 31, 2000, may be deemed to have shared power to direct the disposition of an aggregate of 96,038,356 shares, or 58.2% of the outstanding shares, of the Class A Common Stock, as well as 79,056,228 shares, or 100% of the outstanding shares, of the Class B Common Stock. The Non-DLJ entities may be deemed to have shared power to vote an aggregate of 67,505,224 shares, or 40.9% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock, as well as 79,056,228 shares, or 100% of the outstanding shares, of the Class B Common Stock. The DLJ entities may be deemed to have shared power to vote an aggregate of 28,533,132 shares, or 17.3% of the outstanding shares, of Class A Common Stock. Each Non-Reporting Person disclaims beneficial ownership of the shares of which they may be deemed to share power to vote or dispose.


    The beneficial ownership of the Reporting Person and each Non-Reporting Person as of December 31, 2000 is as follows:

Beneficial Ownership of Class A Common Stock as of December 31, 2000:

 
  Common Stock
  Percent of Class(1)
 
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners II, L.P.   17,973,750   10.9 %
DLJ Merchant Banking Partners II-A, L.P.   715,800   *  
DLJ Offshore Partners II, C.V.   883,854   *  
DLJ Millenium Partners, L.P.   290,616   *  
DLJ Millenium Partners-A, L.P.   56,676   *  
DLJ Diversified Partners, L.P.   1,050,822   *  
DLJ Diversified Partners-A, L.P.   390,246   *  
DLJMB Funding II, Inc.   2,840,980   1.7 %
UK Investment Plan 1997 Partners   400,764   *  
DLJ First ESC, L.P.   34,590   *  
DLJ ESC II, L.P.   3,814,334   2.3 %
DLJ EAB Partners, L.P.   80,700   *  
Madison Dearborn Capital Ptrs II, LP   27,218,904   16.5 %
Eagle River Investments LLC   19,500,012   11.8 %
Motorola, Inc.   13,076,376   7.9 %
David Aas(2)   1,086,599   *  
John Chapple(3)   3,461,024   2.1 %
Mark Fanning(4)   933,706   *  
Perry Satterlee(5)   1,044,603   *  
David Thaler(6)   1,274,000   *  
John Thompson(7)   2,545,664   1.5 %
TOTAL(8)   98,584,020   59.6 %

*
Less than 1%

(1)
Based on 165,015,002 shares of Class A Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2000 as provided by Nextel Partners, Inc.

(2)
Includes 20,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option.

(3)
Includes 35,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option, 736,667 shares held by JRC Coho LLC, an entity controlled by Mr. Chapple and 90,000 shares held by Panther Lake LLC, an entity controlled by Messrs. Chapple and Thompson.

(4)
Includes 30,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option.

(5)
Includes 40,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option and 165,000 shares held by PSS-MSS, L.P., an entity controlled by Mr. Satterlee.

(6)
Includes 20,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option.

(7)
Includes 245,000 shares of Class A Common Stock that are subject to a currently exercisable option, 509,166 shares held by JDT-JRT, LLC, an entity controlled by Mr. Thompson and 90,000 shares held by Panther Lake LLC, an entity controlled by Messrs. Chapple and Thompson.

(8)
See footnotes (2) through (7).

Beneficial Ownership of Class B Common Stock as of December 31, 2000:

    Nextel WIP Corp. holds 79,056,228 shares of Class B Common Stock, which represents 100% of the Class B Common Stock outstanding as of December 31, 2000.

Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class:

    Not applicable

Item 6.  Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person:

    See Item 4


Item 7.  Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding Company:

    Not applicable

Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:

    Not applicable

Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group:

    Not applicable

Item 10.  Certifications:

    Not applicable



SIGNATURE

    After reasonable inquiry to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.

    February 12, 2001
Date

 

 

/s/ 
JOHN THOMPSON   
Signature

 

 

John Thompson

Name/Title



QuickLinks

Schedule 13G
SIGNATURE