The continuing downturn in the wireless network infrastructure market is the main catalyst for today's decision by Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) to cut 1,800 staff, more than 10 percent of the total, from its network division (see Nokia Networks Axes 1,800).

According to Thomas Jonsson, communications director for the Finnish firm's network infrastructure business, the cuts will leave the division with approximately 15,000 employees, down from 17,361 at the end of 2002. The majority of the redundancies will affect Finnish staff, where 1,100 positions will be lost. About 100 jobs will be lost throughout the U.S., while the remaining 600 jobs will go in Western Europe, mostly Germany and Italy.

See the full story on Unstrung, Light Reading's sister site for coverage of the wireless networking economy: More Finns Finished