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Massive Layoffs Coming At AOL
Cuts To Happen Over Next 6 Months

POSTED: 11:39 am PDT August 3, 2006
UPDATED: 11:51 am PDT August 3, 2006

NEW YORK -- The changes that are taking place at AOL are going to put as many as 5,000 people out of work.

The company said it could be dropping that many employees -- a quarter of its global work force -- within six months.

The announcement came Thursday -- one day after the online company said it would no longer charge high-speed Internet customers for e-mail and some other services.

Massive layoffs around the world have been expected, as AOL stops actively marketing its dial-up services in the U.S. and reduces its need for customer-support centers.

Some European employees will still have jobs, but with another company.

AOL is trying to get rid of its Internet access business in France, Germany and the United Kingdom.

The cuts follow several rounds in recent years, including about 1,300 customer-service jobs announced in May.