Us West Closes Portland Office

Changing consumer patterns and faster technology have convinced US West to close its directory assistance office in Portland by January, forcing 125 people to look for new jobs.

The Denver-based telecommunications company said its offices in Salem and Midvale, Utah, could handle all directory assistance calls in Portland.

The number of directory assistance calls made through US West has declined at a rate of 6 percent to 8 percent annually in recent years, said Jim Haynes, a US West spokesman.

Some callers who used US West now have their directory assistance inquiries handled by carriers such as MCI, Sprint or AT&T, or by independent companies that provide directory assistance under contracts with carriers.

Many businesses now rent or buy computer disks with telephone numbers instead of using directory assistance, Haynes said.