Hotmail, Outlook, SkyDrive hit by service disruptions

Users complain of hours-long inaccessibility of Hotmail, which Microsoft plans to blend with Outlook later this summer.

March 12, 2013 7:03 PM PDT Follow @stevenmusil

(Credit: Microsoft)

A handful of Microsoft Web services have been inaccessible for hours this afternoon, including Hotmail and Outlook.

Frustrated users of the e-mail services and cloud storage service SkyDrive complain about the services' hours-long inaccessibility.

#hotmail its my own fault for not leaving you a long time ago, but man its miserable not being able to get your email
— Michael Fish (@MFishFinancial) March 13, 2013

Come on #hotmail I want to check my emails! You've been down for AGES!
— Catriona MacIntyre (@catmac6) March 13, 2013

Error, #Hotmail is down. Click the link "check latest status update" The update? "There's a problem with Hotmail right now." Gee, thanks.
— Jafafa Hots (@JafafaHots) March 13, 2013

Microsoft's services status dashboard confirms that the three services are not functioning properly but says it is working to restore service. It is unknown whether the disruptions are related or whether they may be connected to Microsoft's plan to shutter Hotmail and move the "hundreds of millions" still using it to Outlook.com by this summer.

This is the second time in recent months that Hotmail and Outlook users have been unable to access the services. iPhone, iPad, and Android phone users were disconnected from their accounts for several days in January.

CNET has contacted Microsoft for more information and will update this report when we learn more.