Sprint to cut 8,000 jobs by March 31

Sprint announced today that it will eliminate 8,000 positions at all levels within the company by March 31. Approximately 850 of the positions have been eliminated under a voluntarily separation plan. The actions are expected to reduce labor costs by approximately $1.2 billion annually.

Customer service groups will be the least hit by lay offs, as Sprint aims to keep improving customer service. Since it launched a national commercial advertising campaign last year recommending that customers visit Sprint stores for technical assistance with their cellular phones, Sprint announced that it has seen a reduction in customer service calls and increased customer satisfaction. Sprint will announce its fourth quarter 2008 financial results on Feb. 19.