Verizon will be laying off around 100 employees who provide 411 information services from a Long Beach facility, the company confirmed this week. 

According to the Press-Telegram, a Verizon spokesperson said the employees are being let go because more customers are utilizing free online services to look up phone numbers and do not use the 411 service as much. The downsizing, however, is not part of a company-wide strategy related to 411 services.

“People are dialing 411 a lot less than they used to,” Verizon spokesperson Ray McConville said. 

The president of the union that represents the Long Beach-based employees said the layoffs will go into effect July 19 and the union is attempting to negotiate other positions within the company for the workers. If not, Verizon said the affected Long Beach employees will be offered severance packages or may be able to obtain similar jobs in Oxnard.

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