Exhibit 5.1

                             [JONES DAY LETTERHEAD]



                                November 17, 2006


Sprint Nextel Corporation
2001 Edmund Halley Drive
Reston, Virginia  20191

          Re:  Issuance of $2,000,000,000 Senior Notes due 2016
               of Sprint Nextel Corporation

Ladies and Gentlemen:

     We  have  acted  as  counsel  for  Sprint  Nextel  Corporation,   a  Kansas
corporation (the  "Company"),  in connection with the offering by the Company of
$2,000,000,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company's 6.0% Senior Notes due
2016 (the "Debt  Securities"),  as  contemplated  by the Company's  Registration
Statement  on Form S-3, as amended  (Reg.  No.  333-138548)  (the  "Registration
Statement").  The  Debt  Securities  will be  issued  under  an  indenture  (the
"Indenture")  to be entered  into by and between the Company and The Bank of New
York Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the "Trustee").

     In  connection  with the opinion  expressed  herein,  we have examined such
documents,  records and matters of law as we have deemed  relevant or  necessary
for purposes of this opinion. Based on the foregoing, and subject to the further
limitations,  qualifications  and  assumptions  set forth herein,  we are of the
opinion that the Debt Securities, when executed by the Company and authenticated
by the Trustee in accordance  with the Indenture,  issued and sold in accordance
with the  Registration  Statement  and  delivered to the purchaser or purchasers
thereof against receipt by the Company of such lawful consideration  therefor as
the Company's  Board of Directors (or a duly authorized  committee  thereof) may
determine, will constitute valid and binding obligations of the Company.

     We have  assumed  that  (i) the  Indenture  will  be a  valid  and  binding
obligation  of the  Trustee and (ii) the  Indenture  will be duly  executed  and
delivered by the Company and the Trustee.

     The  opinions  expressed  herein  are  limited by  bankruptcy,  insolvency,
reorganization,   fraudulent  transfer  and  fraudulent   conveyance,   voidable
preference,  moratorium  or other  similar  laws  and  related  regulations  and
judicial  doctrines  from  time to  time  in  effect  relating  to or  affecting
creditors' rights generally,  and by general equitable principles,  whether such
principles are considered in a proceeding at law or at equity.

     The opinion  expressed herein is limited to the federal  securities laws of
the  United  States of  America  and the laws of the  State of New York,  and we
express no opinion as to the effect of the laws of any other jurisdiction.




Sprint Nextel Corporation
November 17, 2006
Page 2


     In rendering our opinion  expressed  herein, we have relied solely upon the
opinion of  Polsinelli  Shalton Welte  Suelthaus  P.C., a copy of which has been
filed as Exhibit  5.2 to the Current  Report on Form 8-K dated the date  hereof,
with respect to matters governed by the laws of Kansas.

     We hereby  consent  to the filing of this  opinion  as  Exhibit  5.1 to the
Current  Report on Form 8-K dated the date hereof  relating to the  Registration
Statement  and to the  reference to Jones Day under the caption  "Certain  Legal
Matters" in the prospectus  constituting a part of such Registration  Statement.
In giving  such  consent,  we do not hereby  admit that we are  included  in the
category of persons whose consent is required  under Section 7 of the Securities
Act of  1933  or the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Securities  and  Exchange
Commission promulgated thereunder.





                                Very truly yours,

                                /s/ Jones Day