nTelos lays off almost 50 employees

WAYNESBORO – As of Thursday, 48 nTelos corporate employees in Waynesboro were laid-off.

The company said it needed to "streamline and right size the organization" since December's news that nTelos would close its network and retail office operations in the Richmond and Hampton Roads regions, according to Mike Minnis, nTelos' director of public relations.

nTelos sold its wireless spectrum licenses in those regions to T-Mobile for $56 million.

"The decisions about the workforce reductions were very difficult, but also necessary to allow us to efficiently and effectively consolidate our operations in our Western markets," Minnis said. "We truly appreciate the service, contributions and commitments made to the company over the years by these employees who are leaving us and wish them the very best in their future endeavors."

A call center in Daleville will also be phased out by June affecting 53 jobs, Minnis said.

The regional provider of nationwide wireless voice and data communications also announced last week it will be selling more than 100 cell towers in its Western market to bring $41 million to nTelos in a year's time.

nTelos will be selling 103 towers through a long-term lease to to an affiliate of Grain Management, which is a private equity firm focused on investments in the media and communications sectors. The first sale will be completed in the first quarter, Minnis said.

Greg Hitchin, Waynesboro's economic development director, said the news of the lay-offs was disappointing.

"It's disappointing that they are in the position to lay off employees," he said the city's work force development program is working with nTelos to help those who were terminated from their jobs.

"We're doing everything we can for those who were laid-off," he said.

In 2014, nTelos was the fifth largest employer in Waynesboro and one of its biggest sources of tax revenue. The corporate office in Waynesboro now employs 454 people.

"Anytime an employer is in a position to lay off employees, it hurts the overall continued growth of the city," Hitchin said.

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