(Telecompaper) Microsoft has confirmed plans to cut 18,000 jobs over the next year, mainly at the mobile phone activities acquired from Nokia. Of the total, about 12,500 professional and factory positions will be eliminated through synergies and strategic alignment of the Nokia Devices and Services business, Microsoft said. When Microsoft completed the takeover of the Nokia business in April, it acquired around 25,000 additional employees. Microsoft expects to complete most of the cuts by the end of this year and all the restructuring by mid-2015. The plan will result in USD 1.1-1.6 billion in pretax charges over the next four quarters, including USD 750-800 million for severance and related benefits and USD 350-800 million in asset writedowns. The plans were outlined in an email from Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to Microsoft employees and an email from former Nokia CEO and Microsoft Executive VP Stephen Elop to Microsoft Devices Group employees.