PTI Communications, which provides local telephone service to 26,000 Eastern Washington residents, will close its Cheney business office in June and transfer those operations to its Washington headquarters in Gig Harbor.

Spokesman Bob Dennis said the office’s 29 employees will be allowed to bid on additional jobs in Gig Harbor, but added, “There will be a reduction in positions.”

Two marketing positions and 19 engineering and technical workers will remain in the Cheney-Medical Lake area, he said.

Dennis said consolidation with Gig Harbor should improve service because employees will receive constant training.

The company has 145,000 subscribers statewide.

Starting June 3, customers in Eastern Washington will dial 1-800-533-9281 to get phones installed or disconnected, or to get billing questions resolved.

Dennis said PTI is still analyzing how best to meet the needs of students at Eastern Washington University who connect and disconnect telephone service as quarters begin and end.

, DataTimes