TELECOMMUNICATIONS

AT&T; to Cut Jobs, Close 40 Operator Offices: American Telephone & Telegraph Co. disclosed the second step in consolidating its operator services, plans for cutting between 3,000 and 4,000 jobs and closing 40 offices across the country. Among those offices scheduled for closure are four in Southern California--one in El Monte, two in San Diego and one in Torrance--that employ a total of 537 people. The cuts will occur between next April and early 1995. Affected workers will be offered other jobs within AT&T;, and the company expects more than half to accept new positions. AT&T; last year began a program to cut one-third of its 18,000 operator positions as more of those services become automated with voice recognition devices and other equipment.