Metro One to shut call centers, cut jobs

Metro One Telecommunications Inc. will exit the wholesale directory assistance business by May 5, resulting in the closing of call centers and the elimination of about 600 positions. The Portland-based company said it will close or sell call centers, where it handled incoming information calls for telecommunications companies, in Minneapolis; Charlotte, N.C.; Orlando, Fla.; and Honolulu in addition to its recently closed call centers in Long Island, N.Y., and Portland. It also will reduce corporate staff at its Portland headquarters. About 600 call center and related positions will be eliminated, and staff will be provided severance packages, Metro One said in a statement dated Friday. The company expects costs of about $3.6 million for the closings and staff reductions, and future cash expenditures associated with the actions of about $2.3 million. After the transition, Metro One expects to employ about 70 at its headquarters, where it will provide inbound and outbound contact services and leverage its databases and proprietary information systems to provide services to consumer and business marketers. The company said it plans to help its telecommunications customers find alternative solutions. BW Extras Podcasts Top Designers Behind the Cover CEO Guide to Tech more… RSS Feeds Most Popular Top News Innovation Trends more… E-mails Asia Insider MBA Express BW.com Insider more… Blogs Blogspotting Hot Property Tech Beat more… Most Popular Stories Read E-mailed Discussed Once-in-a-Blue-Moon Bargains Great Places to Raise Kids -- for Less Why Exxon Won't Produce More The Gigayacht It's Too Darn Hot RSS Feed: Most Read Stories Once-in-a-Blue-Moon Bargains Why Exxon Won't Produce More Business Week Online:Dishonored Dealmaker It's Too Darn Hot Hillary: The New Queen of Mean? RSS Feed: Most E-mailed Stories World Watches India's Response to Tibet Why Exxon Won't Produce More Great Places to Raise Kids -- for Less Hillary: The New Queen of Mean? It's Time for United's CEO to Go RSS Feed: Most Discussed Stories Most Popular Multimedia Slide Shows Best Places to Raise Your Kids, 2007 - BusinessWeek The Top Undergrad Business Schools - BusinessWeek Most Expensive Suburbs to Live Now 2008 - BusinessWeek Best Affordable Suburbs 2007 - BusinessWeek Urban Transport Goes Green - BusinessWeek RSS Feed: Most Popular Slide Shows Ads by Google Understanding Hedge Funds Free Book:" Guide to Understanding Hedge Funds" Hedge-Fund-Investing.com Haskayne Business School Conquer The Real World Of Business With The Haskayne MBA Experience! HaskayneMBA.ca BusinessWeek Magazine 4 Free trial issues. 26 issues for