This move reflects ongoing challenges in the industry, as other telecom leaders have also recently announced significant layoffs to streamline operations, reduce costs and adapt to slowing market growth.
Capacity Media looks back at the telecom giants implementing significant job cuts this year:
BT Group
Earlier this year, telecoms giant BT continued its previously announced restructuring plan with significant job cuts in 2024, aiming to reduce its workforce by 40%-about 55,000 jobs by the end of the decade.
This included layoffs and the replacement of some jobs with automation and AI, targeting cost efficiencies.
At the time BT CEO, Philip Jansen, said: “Whenever you get new technologies you can get big changes.
"Whenever you get new technologies you can get big changes,”, claiming the deployment of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, "gives us confidence we can go even further".
"Yes, it has its risks, we've got to be very careful, but I personally think it's going to be as big as the internet and as big as mobile phones. This is a massive change."
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Vodafone
In early 2024, the telecoms giant announced plans for significant layoffs as part of a broader transformation, aligning with their strategy of cutting operational costs.
These job cuts primarily affected the company's operations in Germany and Spain.
In Germany, 2,000 jobs were set to be removed or relocated as part of a cost-saving program aimed at saving €400m over the next two years.
According to the company, the updated two-year plan aims to reduce "material, operating, and personnel costs" while channelling more investments into areas that improve the customer experience.
At the time, a Vodafone spokesperson confirmed that the company has already cut 900 jobs in Germany over the last two years as part of this broader cost-saving initiative.
Nokia
Nokia also joined the wave of telecom job cuts, focusing on cost reductions while adapting to slower demand for telecom equipment as global 5G rollouts stabilise.
In 2024, Nokia's job cuts were part of its efforts to optimize resources and maintain competitive positioning. As a result, the move resulted in around 14,000 jobs being cut.
This decision is in response to declining demand for 5G equipment, especially in major markets like North America, where telecom operators have scaled back spending on network infrastructure.
Meanwhile, the cuts represent roughly 16% of Nokia's global workforce, which stood at about 86,000 employees, the company revealed.
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