His secret weapon at Nextlink is its chairman, Daniel Akerson, the former president of MCI.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

Nextlink serves corporate users, who spend more and stay longer on the line than consumers.

FORBES: Craig's Higher Calling

When Akerson started at Nextlink, it had 40 marketing plans for 40 cities.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

By last September McCaw had tapped Akerson again, this time to run Nextlink.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

To strengthen ties to Nextel, Akerson ordered everyone at Nextlink to switch to Nextel phones and beefed up contracts to handle Nextel traffic.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

The deal gives Nextlink a toehold in Europe, high-speed data lines, web-hosting and e-commerce services and the right to haul traffic for Internet service providers.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

His three big bets--the Nextlink national voice and data network, the Nextel wireless service and the Teledesic satellite venture--are now at critical junctures.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

McCaw, the ex-wife of telecom tycoon Craig McCaw, fell off the FORBES list in 2001 after the value of her stakes in Nextel and Nextlink plummeted.

FORBES

That was the start of what became Nextlink.

FORBES: "We're On A Collision Course"

Its investors include Craig McCaw's Nextlink Communications.

FORBES: Weaving The Perfect Net