NEW YORK (Reuters) - Top U.S. phone company AT&T Inc. said on Thursday it would eliminate 12,000 jobs, about 4 percent of its workforce, as it joins a raft of corporations trying to slash costs in the face of the economic downturn.
AT&T will cut the jobs over the remainder of 2008 and 2009, and take a charge of about $600 million in this year's fourth quarter to account for severance.
The carrier also said it would cut its 2009 capital spending from this year's levels, though actual spending plans have not yet been finalized. AT&T said it would provide details on its capital spending in late January.
(Reporting by Paul Thomasch; Editing by Derek Caney)
