KPN to shed 800 jobs

Usual reasons

By Tim Richardson • Get more from this author

Posted in Business, 22nd January 2004 10:17 GMT

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KPN is to shed some 800 jobs over the next year in its fixed network services division as part of an efficiency drive, the Dutch telecoms giant announced today.

Around 300 marketing and sales jobs at the company's HQ will go as part of a compulsory redundancy scheme. The rest will be lost through "natural wastage".

It seems KPN is feeling the heat as the company's turnover is put under pressure by greater competition, lower prices and an increase in the number of people who have turned their back on a fixed line phone and opted instead to use just a mobile instead.

That's why KPN considers "improvements in efficiency and effectiveness to be essential", the company said in a statement.

It hasn't been a great week for jobs in Europe's telecoms sector.

Earlier this week France Telecom announced plans to axe 14,500 jobs in 2004 as part of restructuring plans. ®

France Telecom job cuts hoped to kick-start privatisation

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