Mongolian Telecom LLC has laid off 200 workers due to declining sales.

Traditional landline telephone usage has been reduced because of an increase in cell phone usage. That is why the company has eliminated 140 jobs in local settlements and 60 in the capital.

A union official said most of the employees had worked for the company for a long time. The union and Telecom LLC have asked the Communications Regulatory Committee to grant the company mobile rights, but the committee has not allowed those rights. If Telecom LLC had cell phone rights, the union and the company say, its sales would increase and it would not have to dismiss workers.