Verizon plotted to shed nearly 500 employees and shut down two support centres in the US state of Ohio, in a restructure of its customer service operations.

In a regulatory filing to Ohio’s Department of Job and Family Services, Verizon said it intends to close a business government customer operations centre and a customer service support operation in the state. It added a credit order review unit which shares premises with the others will be downsized.

A total of 496 jobs will be cut as part of the plan, which will take effect 7 April.

Despite the layoffs, a company representative told Mobile World Live the Ohio site will “continue to be home to Verizon employees and is an important part of our operations”.

Verizon’s representative added affected workers “will be given options to relocate to other like centres, become home-based agents or apply for other jobs in the company”.

The moves come as Verizon pushes to cut $10 billion in costs by 2021. In January, it said the initiative already achieved $5.7 billion in savings and is on track to hit its target.