In Brief: Orange UK girds for broadband battles

British wireless operator Orange UK plans to streamline its operations by, in part, trimming its payroll by up to 2,000 jobs.

Chief Executive Officer Bernard Ghillebaert told British media Thursday that the specifics of the reductions would be worked out and likely would be accomplished through attrition and non-renewal of short-term contracts.

"Specifics will be worked out over the next few months and a final structure in place by September, but the new Orange must be lean and agile and our cost base needs to be lower," he told London's Times.

The newspaper said Orange's marching orders came from parent company France Telecom, which is striving to cut its overall payroll and integrate its Wanadoo broadband operations under the Orange umbrella.

France Telecom is basing its future strategy largely on fixed and wireless broadband, which the Times noted has been a highly competitive sector in Europe.

Copyright 2006 by United Press International