AS FILED WITH THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON DECEMBER 21, 1999
                           REGISTRATION NO. 333-______

================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                 --------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                                 TELIGENT, INC.
               (Exact Name of issuer as specified in its charter)

                 DELAWARE                             54-1866562
     (State or Other Jurisdiction of              (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)             Identification No.)

                               8065 LEESBURG PIKE
                                    SUITE 400
                             VIENNA, VIRGINIA 22182
                                  703.762.5100
                    (Address of principal executive offices)
                                 --------------

                                 TELIGENT, INC.
                            1997 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN
                                 --------------
                                 TELIGENT, INC.
                        1999 EMPLOYEE STOCK PURCHASE PLAN
                            (Full title of the plans)
                                  -------------

                            LAURENCE E. HARRIS, ESQ.
                    SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                                 TELIGENT, INC.
                               8065 LEESBURG PIKE
                                    SUITE 400
                             VIENNA, VIRGINIA 22182
                     (Name and address of agent for service)

    Telephone number, including area code, of agent for service: 703.762.5100

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================= ============== =============== =============== ===============
TITLE OF SHARES   AMOUNT TO BE   PROPOSED        PROPOSED        AMOUNT OF
TO BE REGISTERED  REGISTERED     MAXIMUM         MAXIMUM         REGISTRATION
                                 OFFERING PRICE  AGGREGATE       FEE
                                 PER SHARE(2)    OFFERING
                                                 PRICE(2)
- ----------------- -------------- --------------- --------------- ---------------
Class A Common    4,300,000      $62.28125       $267,809,375    $70,701.68
Stock, par        shares (1)
value $.01
per share
================= ============== =============== =============== ===============

(1)      4,000,000 shares of Teligent, Inc. Class A Common Stock, par value $.01
         per share (the "Shares") are being registered pursuant to the Teligent,
         Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan and 300,000 Shares are being  registered
         pursuant to the Teligent, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

(2)      Estimated  solely for the purpose of calculating the  registration  fee
         pursuant to Rule 457 of the Securities  Act of 1933,  using the average
         of the high and low sale prices of the Class A Common Stock reported on
         The Nasdaq National Market on December 14, 1999.

         There are also  registered  hereunder  such  additional  indeterminate
number of Shares as may be issued as a result of the antidilution  provisions of
the Teligent,  Inc. 1997 Stock  Incentive Plan and Teligent,  Inc. 1999 Employee
Stock Purchase Plan.

         This Registration  Statement incorporates by reference the information
contained in the earlier registration  statement relating to the Teligent,  Inc.
1997  Stock  Incentive  Plan,  filed  on  January  27,  1998,  Registration  No.
333-45005.


                                EXPLANATORY NOTE

         As  permitted  by  General   Instruction   E  to  the  Form  S-8,  this
Registration  Statement  incorporates by reference the information  contained in
the earlier  registration  statement  relating to the Teligent,  Inc. 1997 Stock
Incentive Plan, filed on January 27, 1998, Registration No. 333-45005.

         On February 24, 1999, the Board of Directors of Teligent, Inc. approved
an amendment to the Teligent, Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Option Plan")
that  increased  the  number of  Shares  reserved  for  issuance  thereunder  by
4,000,000.  The  shareholders  of Teligent,  Inc.  approved the amendment to the
Option  Plan at the 1999  annual  shareholder  meeting  held on June  16,  1999.
Accordingly,  as amended,  the total number of Shares available under the Option
Plan is 18,729,125, of which 4,000,000 Shares are being registered hereunder.

         Except for the foregoing amendment, the Option Plan remains unchanged.

         This Registration Statement also registers 300,000 Shares reserved for
sale under the Teligent,  Inc. 1999 Employee  Stock Purchase Plan (the "Purchase
Plan").
                                     PART I

ITEM 1.           OPTION PLAN AND PURCHASE PLAN INFORMATION.

                  Not included pursuant to Form S-8 instructions.

ITEM 2.           REGISTRANT INFORMATION AND OPTION PLAN AND PURCHASE PLAN
                  ANNUAL INFORMATION.

                  Not included pursuant to Form S-8 instructions.

                                     PART II

ITEM 3.           INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE.

                  Teligent, Inc. (the "Company" or "Teligent") hereby
incorporates herein by reference the following documents:

                  (1)      Teligent's annual report on Form 10-K for the year
                           ended December 31, 1998;

                  (2)      All reports filed  pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d)
                           of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  as amended
                           (the "Exchange  Act"), on or after December 31, 1998,
                           including  Teligent's  quarterly reports on Form 10-Q
                           for the periods  ended March 31, 1999,  June 30, 1999
                           and September 30, 1999 and Teligent's  current report
                           on Form 8-K dated April 19, 1999; and

                  (3)      The description of Teligent's Class A Common Stock
                           contained in Teligent's Form 8-A filed on November
                           18, 1997.


                  In  addition,  all  documents  filed by  Teligent  pursuant to
Sections  13(a),  13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date
of this  Registration  Statement  and prior to the  filing  of a  post-effective
amendment which  indicates that all securities  offered herein have been sold or
which  deregisters  all securities  then remaining  unsold shall be deemed to be
incorporated  herein by  reference  and to be a part hereof from the  respective
date of filing of each such document.

ITEM 4.           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 5.           INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 6.           INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS.

                  Section 102 of the Delaware General  Corporation Law ("DGCL"),
as  amended,  allows a  corporation  to  eliminate  the  personal  liability  of
directors of a corporation to the corporation or its  stockholders  for monetary
damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director,  except where the director
breached  his  duty  of  loyalty,  failed  to  act in  good  faith,  engaged  in
intentional  misconduct or knowingly violated a law, authorized the payment of a
dividend or approved a stock  repurchase in violation of Delaware  corporate law
or obtained an improper personal  benefit.  Section 145 of the DGCL, as amended,
provides that a corporation may indemnify any person who was or is a party or is
threatened to be made a party to any  threatened,  pending or completed  action,
suit or proceeding,  whether civil,  criminal,  administrative  or investigative
(other than an action by or in the right of the  corporation),  by reason of the
fact that he is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the corporation
or is or was  serving at its request in such  capacity  in another  corporation,
partnership,   joint  venture,  trust  or  other  enterprise,  against  expenses
(including  attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts paid in settlement
actually and reasonably  incurred by him in connection with such action, suit or
proceeding if he acted in good faith and in a manner he  reasonably  believed to
be in or not opposed to the best interests of the corporation  and, with respect
to any criminal  action or  proceeding,  had no reasonable  cause to believe his
conduct was unlawful.

CERTIFICATE OF INCORPORATION

                  Article  Eighth of  Teligent's  certificate  of  incorporation
provides that Teligent will  indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest
extent  authorized or permitted by law, as now or hereafter in effect,  and such
right to  indemnification  will  continue  as to a person who has ceased to be a
director  or officer  of  Teligent  and will inure to the  benefit of his or her
heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives;  provided,  that except
for  proceedings  to enforce  rights to  indemnification,  Teligent  will not be
obligated to indemnify  any director or officer (or his or her heirs,  executors
or personal or legal  representatives)  in connection with a proceeding (or part
thereof)  initiated by such person unless such  proceeding (or part thereof) was
authorized   or  consented  to  by  the  Board  of   Directors.   The  right  to
indemnification  conferred  by Article  Eighth  includes the right to be paid by
Teligent the expenses as incurred in defending or otherwise participating in any
proceeding in advance of its final  disposition.  The rights to  indemnification
and to the advance of expenses  conferred in Article Eighth are not exclusive of
any other  right  which  any  person  may have or  hereafter  acquire  under the
certificate of incorporation,  the by-laws of Teligent, any statute,  agreement,
vote of stockholders or disinterested directors or otherwise.


BY-LAWS

                  Section  1 of  Article  VIII  of the  By-laws  provides  that,
subject to Section 3 of Article VIII, Teligent will indemnify any person who was
or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened,  pending or
completed action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative (other than an action by or in the right of Teligent) by reason of
the fact that such person is or was a director or officer of Teligent,  or is or
was a director  or officer of  Teligent  serving at the request of Teligent as a
director or  officer,  employee  or agent of another  corporation,  partnership,
joint  venture,  trust,  employee  benefit  plan or  other  enterprise,  against
expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees),  judgments,  fines and amounts  paid in
settlement  actually and reasonably  incurred by such person in connection  with
such  action,  suit or  proceeding  if such person  acted in good faith and in a
manner  such  person  reasonably  believed  to be in or not  opposed to the best
interests of Teligent,  and, with respect to any criminal  action or proceeding,
had no  reasonable  cause to believe such  person's  conduct was  unlawful.  The
termination of any action,  suit or proceeding by judgment,  order,  settlement,
conviction,  or upon a plea of nolo contendere or its  equivalent,  will not, of
itself,  create a presumption that the person did not act in good faith and in a
manner which such person reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best
interests of Teligent,  and, with respect to any criminal  action or proceeding,
had reasonable cause to believe that such person's conduct was unlawful.

                  Section  2 of  Article  VIII  of the  By-laws  provides  that,
subject to Section 3 of Article VIII, Teligent will indemnify any person who was
or is a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened,  pending or
completed action or suit by or in the right of Teligent to procure a judgment in
its favor by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director or officer
of  Teligent,  or is or was a director  or officer  of  Teligent  serving at the
request  of  Teligent  as a  director,  officer,  employee  or agent of  another
corporation,  partnership,  joint venture, trust, employee benefit plan or other
enterprise, against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by such person in  connection  with the defense or  settlement  of such
action or suit if such  person  acted in good faith and in a manner  such person
reasonably  believed to be in or not opposed to the best  interests of Teligent;
except that no  indemnification  shall be made in respect of any claim, issue or
matter as to which such person shall have been adjudged to be liable to Teligent
unless and only to the extent  that the Court of  Chancery or the court in which
such action or suit was brought shall determine upon application  that,  despite
the adjudication of liability but in view of all the  circumstances of the case,
such person is fairly and  reasonably  entitled to indemnity  for such  expenses
which the Court of Chancery or such other court shall deem proper.

                  Section 3 of Article  VIII of the  By-laws  provides  that any
indemnification  under Article VIII (unless  ordered by a court) will be made by
Teligent  only as  authorized  in the specific  case upon a  determination  that
indemnification  of the  director  or  officer  is proper  in the  circumstances
because  such  person has met the  applicable  standard  of conduct set forth in
Section 1 or Section 2 of Article VIII,  as the case may be. Such  determination
shall be made (i) by a majority  vote of the  directors  who are not  parties to
such  action,  suit or  proceeding,  even though less than a quorum,  or (ii) if
there are no such  directors,  or if such  directors so direct,  by  independent
legal counsel in a written opinion or (iii) by the stockholders.  To the extent,
however,  that a director  or officer of  Teligent  has been  successful  on the
merits or  otherwise  in defense of any  action,  suit or  proceeding  described
above, or in defense of any claim, issue or matter therein,  such person will be
indemnified against expenses (including attorneys' fees) actually and reasonably
incurred by such  person in  connection  therewith,  without  the  necessity  of
authorization in the specific case.

                  Section  5 of  Article  VIII  of the  By-laws  provides  that,
notwithstanding any contrary  determination in the specific case under Section 3
of  Article  VIII,  and   notwithstanding   the  absence  of  any  determination
thereunder,  any  director  or officer may apply to the Court of Chancery in the
State of Delaware for indemnification to the extent otherwise  permissible under
Sections 1 and 2 of Article VIII. The basis of such  indemnification  by a court
will be a determination  by such court that  indemnification  of the director or
officer  is  proper  in the  circumstances  because  such  person  has  met  the
applicable  standards of conduct set forth in Section 1 or 2 of Article VIII, as
the case may be.  Neither a contrary  determination  in the specific  case under
Section 3 of Article VIII nor the absence of any  determination  thereunder will
be a defense to such  application  or create a presumption  that the director or
officer seeking  indemnification has not met any applicable standard of conduct.
Notice of any  application  for  indemnification  pursuant to Section 5 shall be
given to Teligent promptly upon the filing of such  application.  If successful,
in whole or in part, the director or officer seeking  indemnification  will also
be entitled to be paid the expense of prosecuting such application.

                  Section 7 of Article  VIII of the  By-laws  provides  that the
indemnification  and advancement of expenses  provided by or granted pursuant to
Article  VIII will not be deemed  exclusive  of any other  rights to which those
seeking  indemnification  or  advancement  of expenses may be entitled under the
certificate of  incorporation,  any by-law,  agreement,  vote of stockholders or
disinterested  directors  or  otherwise,  both as to  action  in  such  person's
official  capacity  and as to action in  another  capacity  while  holding  such
office,  it being the policy of  Teligent  that  indemnification  of the persons
specified  in  Sections  1 and 2 of Article  VIII  shall be made to the  fullest
extent  permitted  by law.  The  provisions  of  Article  VIII are not deemed to
preclude the  indemnification of any person who is not specified in Section 1 or
2 of Article  VIII but whom  Teligent has the power or  obligation  to indemnify
under the provisions of the DGCL, or otherwise.

                  Section  8 of  Article  VIII  of  the  By-laws  provides  that
Teligent may  purchase and maintain  insurance on behalf of any person who is or
was a director  or officer of  Teligent,  or is or was a director  or officer of
Teligent serving at the request of Teligent as a director,  officer, employee or
agent of  another  corporation,  partnership,  joint  venture,  trust,  employee
benefit plan or other  enterprise,  against any liability  asserted against such
person and incurred by such person in any such capacity,  or arising out of such
person's  status as such,  whether or not  Teligent  would have the power or the
obligation to indemnify such person against such liability  under the provisions
of Article  VIII.  Section  11 of  Article  VIII of the  By-laws  provides  that
notwithstanding  anything contained in Article VIII to the contrary,  except for
proceedings  to enforce  rights to  indemnification  (which shall be governed by
Section 5 thereof),  Teligent will not be obligated to indemnify any director or
officer in  connection  with a proceeding  (or part  thereof)  initiated by such
person unless such  proceeding  (or part thereof) was authorized or consented to
by the Board of Directors of Teligent.

ITEM 7.           EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.

                  Not applicable.

ITEM 8.           EXHIBITS.

EXHIBIT NO.                                     EXHIBIT

     4.1                   Form of Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Company
                           (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  3.1 to the
                           Company's   Registration   Statement   on  Form   S-1
                           (Registration   No.  333-37381)  which  was  declared
                           effective by the Commission on November 21, 1997).

     4.2                   Form  of  By-Laws  of the  Company  (incorporated  by
                           reference to the Company's  Registration Statement on
                           Form  S-1  Registration  No.   333-37381)  which  was
                           declared  effective by the Commission on November 21,
                           1997).

     4.3                   Specimen    Stock    Certificate   of   the   Company
                           (incorporated   by   reference   to   the   Company's
                           Registration  Statement on Form S-1  Registration No.
                           333-37381)  which  was  declared   effective  by  the
                           Commission on November 21, 1997).

     4.4                   Teligent, Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended
                           and restated.

     4.5                   Teligent, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

     5.1                   Opinion of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
                           as to legality of the securities being registered.

     23.1                  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

     23.2                  Consent of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
                           (contained in the opinion filed as Exhibit 5.1 to
                           this Registration Statement).

     24.1                  Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this
                           Form S-8).

ITEM 9.           UNDERTAKINGS.

                  (a)      The undersigned hereby undertakes:

                       (1) To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales
are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement:

                           (i) To include  any  prospectus  required  by Section
                           10(a)(3)   of  the   Securities   Act  of  1933  (the
                           "Securities Act");

                           (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                           arising after the effective date of the  registration
                           statement   (or  the   most   recent   post-effective
                           amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or in  the
                           aggregate,  represent  a  fundamental  change  in the
                           information set forth in the registration  statement;
                           and

                           (iii)  To  include  any  material   information  with
                           respect to the plan of  distribution  not  previously
                           disclosed  in  the  registration   statement  or  any
                           material   change   to   such   information   in  the
                           registration statement;

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the
information to be included in a post-effective  amendment by those paragraphs is
contained in periodic reports filed by the registrant  pursuant to Section 13 or
Section  15(d) of the  Exchange  Act that are  incorporated  by reference in the
registration statement.

                       (2) that,  for the purpose of  determining  any liability
under the Securities Act, each such post-effective  amendment shall be deemed to
be a new registration  statement relating to the securities offered therein, and
the offering of such  securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
bona fide offering thereof; and

                       (3)  To   remove   from   registration   by  means  of  a
post-effective  amendment any of the securities  being  registered  which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.

                  (b)      The undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes that,
                           for purposes of determining  any liability  under the
                           Securities  Act,  each  filing  of  the  registrant's
                           Annual  Report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section
                           15(d) of the  Exchange  Act (and,  where  applicable,
                           each  filing of an  employee  benefit  plan's  Annual
                           Report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act)
                           that is incorporated by reference in the registration
                           statement  shall be deemed  to be a new  registration
                           statement relating to the securities offered therein,
                           and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time
                           shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide  offering
                           thereof.

                  (c)      Insofar as  indemnification  for liabilities  arising
                           under  the   Securities   Act  may  be  permitted  to
                           directors,  officers and  controlling  persons of the
                           registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or
                           otherwise,  the  registrant  has been advised that in
                           the opinion of the Commission such indemnification is
                           against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
                           therefore,  unenforceable.  In the event that a claim
                           for  indemnification  against such liabilities (other
                           than  the  payment  by  the  registrant  of  expenses
                           incurred   or  paid  by  a   director,   officer   or
                           controlling   person   of  the   registrant   in  the
                           successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding)
                           is asserted by such director,  officer or controlling
                           person  in  connection  with  the  securities   being
                           registered,   the  registrant  will,  unless  in  the
                           opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by
                           controlling   precedent,   submit   to  a  court   of
                           appropriate  jurisdiction  the question  whether such
                           indemnification  by it is  against  public  policy as
                           expressed  in the Act and  will  be  governed  by the
                           final adjudication of such issue.

                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has caused this  registration
statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the City of Vienna,  Commonwealth  of Virginia,  on December 21,
1999.

                                         TELIGENT, INC.


                                         BY:       /S/ ALEX J. MANDL
                                                   ------------------
                                         Name:     Alex J. Mandl
                                         Title:    Chairman of the Board and CEO

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
this  registration  statement  has been signed by the  following  persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.

         Each person in so signing, also makes, constitutes and appoints Alex J.
Mandl and Laurence E. Harris, and each of them acting alone, his true and lawful
attorney-in-fact,  with full power of  substitution,  to execute and cause to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the requirements
of  the  Securities  Act of  1933,  as  amended,  any  and  all  amendments  and
post-effective  amendments to this registration statement, with exhibits thereto
and other  documents in connection  therewith,  and hereby ratifies and confirms
all that said  attorney-in-fact or his substitute or substitutes may do or cause
to be done by virtue thereof.

     SIGNATURE                     TITLE                              DATE

/S/ ALEX J. MANDL            Chairman of the Board,            December 21, 1999
- -----------------------      CEO and Director
    Alex J. Mandl


/S/ ABRAHAM L. MORRIS        Senior Vice President and CFO     December 21, 1999
- -----------------------      (PRINCIPAL FINANCIAL OFFICER)
    Abraham L. Morris


/S/ CINDY L. TALLENT         Vice President and Controller     December 21, 1999
- -----------------------      (PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTING OFFICER)
    Cindy L. Tallent


/S/ MYLES P. BERKMAN         Director                          December 21, 1999
- -----------------------
    Myles P. Berkman


/S/ DAVID J. BERKMAN         Director                          December 21, 1999
- -----------------------
    David J. Berkman


/S/ WILLIAM H. BERKMAN       Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    William H. Berkman


/S/ DONALD H. JONES          Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    Donald H. Jones


/S/ TETSURO MIKAMI           Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    Tetsuro Mikami


/S/ RAJENDRA SINGH           Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    Rajendra Singh


                             Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    Thomas O. Hicks


                             Director                          December 21, 1999
- ------------------------
    Richard I. Goldstein


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS

         The  following  is a complete  list of  exhibits  filed as part of this
registration statement:

EXHIBIT NO.                                    EXHIBIT


     4.1                   Form of Certificate of  Incorporation  of the Company
                           (incorporated  by  reference  to  Exhibit  3.1 to the
                           Company's   Registration   Statement   on  Form   S-1
                           (Registration   No.  333-37381)  which  was  declared
                           effective by the Commission on November 21, 1997).

     4.2                   Form  of  By-Laws  of the  Company  (incorporated  by
                           reference to the Company's  Registration Statement on
                           Form  S-1  Registration  No.   333-37381)  which  was
                           declared  effective by the Commission on November 21,
                           1997).

     4.3                   Specimen    Stock    Certificate   of   the   Company
                           (incorporated   by   reference   to   the   Company's
                           Registration  Statement on Form S-1  Registration No.
                           333-37381)  which  was  declared   effective  by  the
                           Commission on November 21, 1997).

     4.4                   Teligent,  Inc. 1997 Stock Incentive Plan, as amended
                           and restated.

     4.5                   Teligent, Inc. 1999 Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

     5.1                   Opinion of Akin, Gump, Strauss,  Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
                           as to legality of the securities being registered.

     23.1                  Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

     23.2                  Consent of Akin, Gump, Strauss,  Hauer & Feld, L.L.P.
                           (contained  in the  opinion  filed as Exhibit  5.1 to
                           this Registration Statement).

     24.1                  Power of Attorney (included on signature page of this
                           Form S-8).