Nokia moves 2,000 extra staff to Siemens

Nokia said on it would reorganise its corporate support business and move an extra 2,000 staff to its planned joint venture with Germany's Siemens.

Nokia and Siemens agreed in June to merge their telecoms network equipment businesses, forming the world's fourth largest player in the field with 60,000 employees.

The companies said Nokia would contribute 20,000 employees and Siemens the rest.

"Our networks unit has 20,000 employees and these corporate support people come in addition," said Nokia spokeswoman Arja Suominen.

The companies hope to receive regulatory approvals for the merger this year, enabling the new company, Nokia Siemens Networks, to start business at the start of 2007.

Nokia said the reorganisation at corporate support functions would have no impact on the number of employees.

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