HONOLULU -- AT&T laid off 70 employees Tuesday because of changes by the Federal Communications Commission.

It was hugs, tears and goodbyes for a group of AT&T workers at Restaurant Row Tuesday. They worked at the call center in sales and customer service.

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"Yesterday we were told we'd be calling through the week. So, we'd be working through the week. So, we felt like Friday was going to be the last day and it was sort of alarming to get such short notice today. Obviously, they didn't know themselves yesterday," laid off worker Bill Shapiro said.

Last week, AT&T announced it was bailing out of the residential long-distance market. Employees said they knew their jobs were in jeopardy. They just weren't sure when the ax would fall.

"Personally I feel it's time to move on. You got to do what you got to do. It's not really AT&T's fault," former employee Elena Brown said.

Former employees said AT&T was a good company to work for. They said they made a good wage and had benefits.

An AT&T spokesperson said due to recent Federal Communications Commission policy changes, it's no longer profitable to expand its residential customer base.

A company spokesperson would not confirm how many people were laid off or if more layoffs are planned.

"I got laid off because they were downsizing and because of the ruling by the FCC," laid off worker Nikaso Tuiletufuga said.

The company said there will be no changes to current residential long-distance customers. Officials also said that AT&T will continue to expand its business accounts and Internet telephone service.