UK network operator Vodafone has confirmed it is laying off 500 staff in its continuing effort to cut costs in the face of falling profits.

The 500 people were given the bad news this morning. The cuts are coming from across the group, though retail operations won't be affected; 170 are being laid off from the Newbury headquarters. This is in line with previous moves by the company to cut back-end staff while focusing on selling stuff - not an unreasonable strategy given prevailing conditions.

Vodafone also tells us that: "New roles are being created to develop total communications services and solutions and in addition the retail estate and online services will be the focus for ongoing investment", which would seem to reinforce the shift from developing products to packaging and selling them.

Related stories

• Vodafone has head stuck in Smoke (24 June 2009)
• Vodafone promises a response if you're really, really big (18 March 2009)
• Have IT vendors been hit harder than IT departments? (11 March 2009)
• Axe poised to swing at Vodafone (23 February 2009)
• MWC Mobes will save the world - just give us some spectrum! (17 February 2009)
• Mobile operators combine to flog customer data (16 February 2009)
• Ofcom snatches spectrum (16 February 2009)
• Vodafone and 3 merge Oz operations (9 February 2009)
• Digital Britain 3G forever, cries Carter (30 January 2009)
• Vodafone snaps up Wayfinder (28 January 2009)