PARIS (Reuters) - French mobile operator SFR is planning to announce lower-than-expected job cuts on Wednesday, French daily Le Figaro reported on Saturday, citing an unidentified source close to the matter.

The French daily said that instead of the 2,000-job cuts expected by unions in the summer the number would be "less than 1,000."

A person close to SFR said the newspaper's estimate was realistic but declined to provide more details about the news to be made public at a workers' council meeting on Wednesday.

SFR is seeking to make 500 million euros ($647.93 million)in cost cuts in 2013 on top of the 450 million euros already targeted for 2012 as it grapples with low-cost competition, union sources told Reuters in July.

SFR, which is controlled by French media group Vivendi , declined to comment on Saturday.

($1 = 0.7717 euros)

(Reporting by Astrid Wendlandt, editing by William Hardy)