centurlink to shed 1,000 jobs, won't backfill open positions

CenturyLink will be cutting 1,000 jobs nationwide over the coming weeks. CenturyLink spokesman Mark Molzen wrote in an email to FierceTelecom this morning that the positions that will be impacted would be finalized by early next month.

"CenturyLink, as all businesses, continually evaluates its cost structure and business practices and adjusts its operations to meet the needs of the business," Molzen, wrote in his email. "After careful consideration, CenturyLink has made the difficult decision to reduce its workforce. This includes current positions as well as not backfilling open positions."

Prior to the upcoming cuts, CenturyLink had 44,000 employees across the nation, including a large number in Denver due to its purchase of Qwest for $24 billion four years ago.

Molzen told The Denver Post that some of the employees impacted by the job cuts would be offered severance packages and that the Monroe, LA-based company would also provide outplacement assistance programs.

Molzen also told The Denver Post that the job reductions would not have an impact on the continued rollout of its Prism TV service or additional launches of its 1-Gigabit offerings. 

During CenturyLink's second quarter earnings call last week, the triple-play provider announced it had added about 8,400 Prism TV customers and launched the service in three new markets, ending the quarter with 2.6 million addressable homes.

For more, click here to read from the Denver Post article.