By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - U.S. wireless carrier Verizon VZ.N said Thursday it will cut more than 13,000 jobs in its largest single layoff as it works to shrink costs and restructure operations.

Verizon also said it plans to convert 179 corporate-owned retail stores into franchised operations and close one store.

Verizon's new CEO, Dan Schulman, said in a note to employees the company would reduce its workforce by more than 13,000 employees across the organization, and significantly reduce outsourced and other outside labor expenses.

"Our current cost structure limits our ability to invest significantly in our customer value proposition," Schulman wrote in a note to employees seen by Reuters. "We must simplify our operations to address the complexity and friction that slow us down and frustrate our customers."

A company spokesperson confirmed the job cuts, saying "this is an opportunity for Verizon to reset, restructure and realign our priorities on ways that will help us regain our leadership as a communications provider."

Reuters and other outlets reported last week Verizon was planning to cut around 15,000 jobs. Most of the cuts are to its U.S. workforce.

Schulman said Verizon was establishing a $20 million career transition fund for laid-off employees to focus on the "opportunities and necessary skill sets as we enter the age of AI."

Verizon said the job cuts were not the result of the company's use of AI.

The wireless carrier faces mounting market pressure amid concerns over a shrinking pool of new customers as older rivals offer cheaper plans and cable operators jump into the fray.

Schulman, a Verizon board member since 2018, was named CEO in October, arriving from the helm at PayPal and facing promotions by rivals AT&T T.N and T-Mobile TMUS.O around the launch of new iPhone models, with aggressive discounts and trade-in deals.

Verizon added just 44,000 monthly bill-paying wireless subscribers in the third quarter, lagging AT&T. T-Mobile led with more than 1 million net subscriber additions.

Verizon had about 100,000 U.S. employees at the end of 2024 including about 70,000 non-union employees. The telecommunications company cut almost 20,000 jobs over the prior three years.

Verizon spent $52 billion to acquire key wireless midband spectrum in a 2021 auction to boost its 5G network. The company also struck a $20 billion deal to acquire Frontier Communications FYBR.O last year and spent $6 billion to acquire prepaid mobile phone provider TracFone Wireless.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Stephen Coates)

((David.Shepardson@thomsonreuters.com; 2028988324;))