Cellcom has been closing customer service centers in an apparent effort to cut costs in a highly competitive industry following the entry of new players such as Golan Telecom and HOT Mobile.

Most recently Cellcom closed a service center in Holon after shutting down a service center in Ra’anana in April and one on Tel Aviv’s Ibn Gvirol Street in January. Partner Communications, which does business in Israel as Orange, has shut its service center at Rishon Letzion’s Cinema City.

The country’s cellular firms are massively retrenching in an effort to maintain profits as the new competition drives down prices. The steps have included staff reductions at call centers, the closing of service centers and, at Cellcom, a freeze on employee bonuses.

A random call to Pelephone’s customer service last week was cut off after the caller waited in the queue for 20 minutes. Cell phone companies, however, are expanding their self-service and online options for customers.

When asked by TheMarker about the closure of customer service centers, Cellcom replied: “Due to a recent decline in the number of customers at the service center in Holon, and due to the need to provide overall service to customers at one location, it was decided to relocate the Holon center to Rishon Letzion and turn that center into a regional flagship.”

Cellcom said the location in Rishon Letzion had absorbed staff from Holon and provided a whole range of services including technical support. It said Cellcom had authorized locations run by the Dynamica cellular firm in Holon and Bat Yam to serve as drop-off and pick-up spots for Cellcom customers needing repairs.

“The location in Ra’anana was closed in April due to the small number of customers, and the Ibn Gvirol center was closed at the end of January,” Cellcom said. “Its closure took place at the same time that staffing was increased at Dizengoff Center and in Ramat Gan.”