Sprint said it expects the latest round of layoffs, which represent a 14 percent reduction of its 56,000 employees, will be largely completed by March 31. The company said it will take a first-quarter charge of more than $300 million for severance and other costs.

About 850 of the layoffs are voluntary, through employees taking buyouts. They will make up about $45 million of the total severance costs, the company said in a securities filing.

In addition to the cuts, Sprint said it will suspend its 401(k) match for the year, extend a freeze on salary increases and suspend a tuition reimbursement program.

“Labor reductions are always the most difficult action to take, but many companies are finding it necessary in this environment,” Hesse said in a news release. “Our commitment to quality will not change.”

Sprint shares rose 3 cents, or 1.2 percent, to close at $2.49 on Monday.

The Overland Park, Kan.-based company has struggled since acquiring Nextel Communications Inc. in 2005. Technical problems, poor efforts to consolidate the two companies and stiff competition for feature-rich phones, such as the Apple Inc. iPhone on AT&Ts service, have led many subscribers to switch.

As of Sept. 30, Sprint had 50.5 million subscribers, down 3.5 million from a year earlier. The falloff contributed to the $1.18 billion net loss that Sprint posted through the first three quarters of 2008.

“Given the current state of operations, (the layoffs were) probably the right thing for them to do,” said analyst Christopher King at Stifel Nicolaus.

He doesnt see Sprint as a bankruptcy candidate, at least not for two years. “But certainly as you get into 2011, depending on how their operations shake out over the next couple of years, there could potentially be some concerns there,” he said.

Another analyst, John Hodulik at UBS, wrote in a research note Monday that it might be difficult for Sprint to turn the tide of subscriber losses, given that nearly everyone already has a cell phone and few people switch between the major carriers.

The companys layoff announcement comes a month after AT&T Inc. announced it was cutting its work force by 4 percent, or 12,000 jobs, to deal with the effects of the recession and the continued erosion of its traditional wireline business. However, AT&Ts wireless arm has been gaining subscribers, as have Verizon Wireless and T-Mobile USA.

Also, Sprint will soon be the exclusive seller of the Palm Pre smart phone, a touch-screen device expected to rival the iPhone. The Pre is set to debut in the second half of this year.

Sprint spokesman James Fisher said the company hasnt determined how the newest layoffs will be divided between divisions or geographic locations, including suburban Kansas City, where it is the areas largest private employer.

But he said the company will likely avoid significant reductions in its customer service and network quality divisions, where Sprint has tried to improve in recent years.

One executive-level casualty is Kathy Walker, the companys chief information and network officer, who is leaving as of March 31.

Jeff Kagan, an Atlanta-based wireless analyst, said in a report that while Sprints cost-cutting efforts are notable, they cant save the company on their own. He discounted the effect of the economy, since Verizon Wireless and AT&T have continued to do well.

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