AT&T; to Move Toll-Free Assistance to Web

AT&T; Corp. said it plans to discontinue its operator-assisted toll-free directory service and move the listings to its Web site. The nation’s largest long-distance company said it had asked the Federal Communications Commission for permission to close down its toll-free assistance line, which keeps track of 750,000 phone numbers, effective March 31. The Communications Workers of America, which represents most of the operators working the toll-free assistance line, said the move will cost jobs, hurt businesses and penalize people who do not have access to the Internet. AT&T; spokesman Burke Stinson said the company had not yet decided what to do about the 900 operators, located in four states, who service the toll-free assistance line. In past cases of job cuts, Stinson said, AT&T; has either helped employees find new jobs or provided them with severance packages. Shares of AT&T; closed down 6 cents at $45.69 on the New York Stock Exchange.