Orange to outsource 1,500 UK jobs

UK mobile phone operator, Orange, plans to outsource 1,500 jobs - 12pc of its UK workforce - to India as part of a drive by its parent France Telecom to cut costs.

According to the Daily Telegraph this morning, the mobile company is beginning trials with two specialist sub-contractors, Convergys and Vertex, in which 215 call centre workers in Delhi will answer customer service inquiries during peak periods.

It said if the trials are successful, Orange plans to stop replacing leavers at its six UK call centres until 1,500 have left.

However, the report cited an Orange spokesman as saying the final figure on the number of roles it intends to outsource will not be decided until the trials are complete.

It added that the company is also making 200 staff redundant from the technical department at its Bristol headquarters.