One of San Diego’s largest companies, Qualcomm, is laying off more than 4,500 workers. The cuts will equal about 15 percent of the telecommunications firm’s workforce.

Layoffs will happen across departments, but its chip-making unit will get hit the hardest. Offices other than San Diego will be impacted as well.

In addition to the job cuts, management plans to have fewer offices and relocate some to lower-cost locales. There could also be a split of the company, dividing the intellectual property licensing unit from its chip-making division.