Communications giant Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is making some cuts in its Research Triangle Park area work force of some 2,800 employees, but the largest group could be adding headcount in coming months.

Two company spokespersons, responding to queries from WRAL.com, confirmed that some cutbacks had been made in the Verizon business unit located in Cary and the group that supports traditional landline service in the Durham market.

“There’s been a very small number of layoffs in Cary,” said Jack Hoey, vice president of media relations for . “Some positions are being eliminated. This is part of a continuing process that we discussed in April.”

The Verizon unit in Cary numbers some 1,800 people. It serves primarily as a hub for business network and related offerings.

Thanks to recent hirings at Verizon Wireless operations in Wilmington, Verizon overall employs some 4,500 people across the state, a company spokesperson said.

Two Verizon business units based in Durham make up the rest of its Triangle-based work force. The Verizon Telecom unit, focused on landline services, has been hit heavily by changes in consumer and business demand as more individuals drop traditional phone service for wireless.

“There are no specific numbers market by market,” said Bob Elek, manager of media relations for Verizon Telecom, “but I’m sure there were some people in the Triangle market that were affected.”

Verizon executives disclosed plans to make some cutbacks last week when they announced an compared with a year earlier.

The so-called wireline business unit reported a 1.7 percent decrease in revenues despite strong growth in broadband and high-speed fiber services.

The fiber product, which includes TV services that rival those offered by cable TV and are known as FiOS, is not yet available in Durham, according to Elek.

Despite the recent cuts, Hoey said the outlook for the Cary business unit remains strong.

“Overall, it’s good news for Cary,” Hoey said. “Over the next six to 12 months, we expect there to be as many or more, actually, jobs … coming to Cary.

“For the foreseeable future,” he added, “we continue to see the building as being full and staying full.”

Verizon’s Triangle work force could be affected in the near future when its acquisition of wireless provider Alltel receives expected federal regulatory approval. Alltel has a strong presence in the Triangle market.

Asked what impact the merger could have on Triangle operations, Verizon spokesperson Harry Mitchell responded: “It’s too soon to tell.”