Sprint to cut 1100 from long distance

Sprint today announced that it is cutting 1100 employees from its long-distance division in an effort to reduce costs.

The job cuts come as a result of two other actions also designed to save money. Sprint’s E| Solutions’ Web-hosting sales, mobile-computing consulting, marketing, product and sales support capabilities will be integrated into Sprint Business while its customer and technical services operations will be combined with the Network Solutions unit. In addition, based on the cost of doing business, some of the 32 cities where Sprint provides DSL through its Global Market Group will have that service transferred to an alternative platform, carrier, or decommissioned altogether. These decisions will be made on a market-by-market basis over the next few weeks. DSL through the company’s Local Telecommunications Division will not be affected by this change.

The 1100 job cuts will come across the board in these two divisions.

No figures relating to charges or savings resulting from these moves have been announced. The company has said, however, that these acts will have a positive impact on operating costs going into 2003.

--Toby Weber, Staff Writer