Sprint plans to cut thousands of jobs: report

15 January 2008

Mumbai: Wireless carrier Sprint Nextel, America's No. 3 wireless company, is preparing to cut thousands of jobs and possibly bring its corporate headquarters back to Overland Park, website reports cited unknown sources as saying.

The reports said Sprint is actively considering big job cuts, reconfiguration of its headquarters and plans for its WiMax high-speed wireless internet initiative.

Sprint's new CEO Dan Hesse is expected to discuss plans this week with the company's board, a newspaper report on Monday said.

Sprint announced plans in 2007 to shed about 5,000 of its 59,000-strong workforce as part of moves intended to bring $1 billion in savings and other benefits.

After Sprint combined with Nextel Communications Inc. in 2005, the company established its corporate headquarters in Reston, Va., Nextel's former base. Sprint's Overland Park campus became an operational headquarters.

About 4,500 Sprint workers are in the Reston and Washington, DC, area. The Kansas City area is home to more than 13,000 workers.