
<PAGE>   1
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 4, 1998
                                              Registration No. ________________
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549
                               ________________
                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                     Under
                           The Securities Act of 1933
                                ________________

                               ALLEN TELECOM INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)

             DELAWARE                                   38-0290950
   (State or Other Jurisdiction             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 of Incorporation or Organization)

                 25101 Chagrin Boulevard, Beachwood, Ohio 44122
          (Address of Principal Executive Offices Including Zip Code)

                               ALLEN TELECOM INC.
                        EMPLOYEE BEFORE-TAX SAVINGS PLAN
                            (Full Title of the Plan)

                 Robert A. Youdelman, Executive Vice President,
                Chief Financial Officer and Assistant Secretary
                               Allen Telecom Inc.
                   25101 Chagrin Blvd., Beachwood, Ohio 44122
                    (Name and Address of Agent For Service)
                                 (216) 765-5800
         (Telephone Number, Including Area Code, of Agent For Service)

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

Title of                   Amount to be               Proposed Maxi-            Proposed Maxi-             Amount of
Securities to              Registered (1)(2)          mum Offering              mum Aggregate              Registration
be Registered                                         Price Per Share (3)       Offering Price (3)         Fee
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<S>                       <C>                         <C>                      <C>                        <C>    
Common Shares, par
value $1.00 per share      750,000                    $  6.81                   $  5,107,500               $  1,419.89      

Preferred Stock
Purchase Rights            750,000

<FN>

(1)      Each share of Common Stock, $1.00 par value per share ("Common Stock")
         includes one Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock Purchase
         Right ("Right"). Each Right, when exercisable, entitles the holder to
         purchase 0.01 (subject to adjustment in certain events) share of
         Series C Junior Participating Preferred Stock of the Registrant. Such
         Rights are not currently exercisable or transferrable independently of
         the shares of Common Stock.

(2)      Pursuant to Rule 416 of the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"),
         this Registration Statement also covers such additional shares of
         Common Stock as may become issuable pursuant to the anti-dilution
         provisions of Allen Telecom Inc. Employee Before- Tax Savings Plan
         ("Plan").

(3)      Estimated solely for calculating the amount of the registration fee,
         pursuant to paragraphs (c) and (h) of Rule 457 of the General Rules
         and Regulations under the Securities Act, on the basis of the average
         of the high and low sale prices of such securities on the New York
         Stock Exchange, Composite Transaction Tape on December 2, 1998,
         within five business days prior to filing.
</TABLE>

                        Exhibit Index Appears on Page 4

                               Page 1 of 6 Pages


<PAGE>   2





                                    Part II

         Pursuant to General Instruction E to Form S-8, the contents of
Registration Statement No. 33-3487 on Form S-8 as filed by Allen Telecom Inc.
(formerly named The Allen Group Inc.) (the "Registrant") with the Securities
and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on May 5, 1994 are incorporated herein by
reference.


Item 8.  Exhibits
         --------

         4(a)     Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation (filed as
                  Exhibit 4(a) to Registrant's Registration Statement No.
                  333-51739 on Form S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and incorporated
                  herein by reference).

         4(b)     By-laws, as amended and restated through December 4, 1997
                  (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to Registrant's Registration Statement
                  No. 333-51739 on Form S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and
                  incorporated herein by reference).

         4(c)     Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series
                  C Junior Participating Preferred Stock (filed as Exhibit 4(c)
                  to Registrant's Registration Statement No. 333-51739 on Form
                  S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and incorporated herein by
                  reference).

         4(d)     Rights Agreement, dated as of January 20, 1998, between the
                  Registrant and Harris Trust Company of New York, as Rights
                  Agent (filed as Exhibit Number 4.1 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 9, 1998 and
                  incorporated herein by reference).

         5        Opinion of Counsel of McDara P. Folan, III, regarding the
                  legality of the securities being registered.

         23(a)    Consent of Independent Accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers 
                  LLP, to the incorporation by reference in this registration
                  statement of their reports on the consolidated financial
                  statements and the financial statement schedule included in
                  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1997.

         23(b)    Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5).



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, 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 duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Beachwood, State of Ohio, on December 4,
1998.

                           ALLEN TELECOM INC.



                    By:    /s/  Robert G. Paul
                           ----------------------------------------------------
                           Robert G. Paul, President and Chief Executive Officer









                               Page 2 of 6 Pages


<PAGE>   3








         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


                 Signature                                    Title                                      Date
                 ---------                                    -----                                      ----

<S>                                        <C>                                                   <C>    
/s/  Robert G. Paul                        President, Chief Executive Officer
------------------------------------------ and Director (Principal Executive 
Robert G. Paul                             Officer)                                               December 4, 1998
                                           

 /s/  Robert A. Youdelman                  Executive Vice President, Chief                        December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------ Financial Officer and Assistant 
Robert A. Youdelman                        Secretary (Principal Financial  
                                           Officer)                        
                                           

 /s/  James L. LePorte, III                Vice President, Treasurer and                          December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------ Controller (Principal Accounting
James L. LePorte, III                      Officer)                        
                                           

 /s/ Philip Wm. Colburn                    Chairman of the Board and Director                     December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
Philip Wm. Colburn

 /s/  Jill K. Conway                       Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
Jill K. Conway

 /s/  Albert H. Gordon                     Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
Albert H. Gordon

 /s/  William O. Hunt                      Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
William O. Hunt

 /s/  J. Chisholm Lyons                    Vice Chairman of the Board and                         December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
J. Chisholm Lyons                          Director

                                           Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
John F. McNiff

 /s/  Charles W. Robinson                  Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
Charles W. Robinson

/s/ Martyn F. Roetter                      Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
Martyn F. Roetter

 /s/  William M. Weaver, Jr.               Director                                               December 4, 1998
------------------------------------------
William M. Weaver, Jr.
</TABLE>

                               Page 3 of 6 Pages




<PAGE>   4



                                 EXHIBIT INDEX
                                 -------------


         4(a)     Second Restated Certificate of Incorporation (filed as
                  Exhibit 4(a) to Registrant's Registration Statement No.
                  333-51789 on Form S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and incorporated
                  herein by reference).

         4(b)     By-laws, as amended and restated through December 4, 1997
                  (filed as Exhibit 4(b) to Registrant's Registration Statement
                  No. 333-51789 on Form S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and
                  incorporated herein by reference).

         4(c)     Certificate of Designation, Preferences and Rights of Series
                  C Junior Participating Preferred Stock (filed as Exhibit 4(c)
                  to Registrant's Registration Statement No. 333-51789 on Form
                  S-8 filed on May 4, 1998, and incorporated herein by
                  reference).

         4(d)     Rights Agreement, dated as of January 20, 1998, between the
                  Registrant and Harris Trust Company of New York, as Rights
                  Agent (filed as Exhibit Number 4.1 to Registrant's
                  Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed January 9, 1998 and
                  incorporated herein by reference).

         5        Opinion of Counsel of McDara P. Folan, III, regarding the
                  legality of the securities being registered.

         23(a)    Consent of Independent Accountants, PricewaterhouseCoopers 
                  LLP, to the incorporation by reference in this registration
                  statement of their reports on the consolidated financial
                  statements and the financial statement schedule included in
                  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal
                  year ended December 31, 1997.

         23(b)    Consent of Counsel (included in Exhibit 5).















                               Page 4 of 6 Pages




