Nov. 4--Nokia Siemens Networks announced a reorganization Tuesday that could mean close to 100 job cuts in the Dallas area.

The telecommunications equipment and services joint venture said the possible cuts are part of a global reorganization designed to slice costs by more than $700 million by the end of 2011.

Nokia Siemens has its North American headquarters in Irving, with about 900 employees in the Dallas area and 64,000 globally.

The company said it expects to eliminate 7 percent to 9 percent of its total workforce, but that percentage could be higher in some countries.

A spokeswoman said there aren't specific estimates yet for the North America region.

Nokia Siemens has been struggling to expand its market share in the U.S. and recently lost a bid for some of the key technologies of bankrupt Nortel Networks Corp.

Ericsson AB, which has its North American headquarters in Plano, won the Nortel assets.

Nokia Siemens said that as part of its reorganization it will consolidate its five business units into three. It will also continue to look at possible acquisitions.

"We recognize that we are operating in a market where customer needs are evolving fast," Mika Vehvilainen, chief operating officer of Nokia Siemens Networks, said in a statement.

"We see acquisitions and expanded partnering as important tools to help meet these needs in the fastest, most efficient way possible."

-----

To see more of The Dallas Morning News, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dallasnews.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, The Dallas Morning News

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NOK, SI, SIE,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.