The MSN messenger service is experiencing a technical glitch relating to a routine maintenance upgrade performed by Microsoft in the US.
As a consequence, users have been unable to log on to the service all day, and on the odd occasion that there has been connection they have found their contact lists have gone astray.
Accoring to one MSN messenger user there have been intermittent problems all week.
-Microsoft is aware of the issue and are working quickly to resolve delays," a spokesperson for NineMSN told ZDNet, -it's not effecting everybody."
-When maintenance is complete, the lists will be completely restored."
The spokesperson says the glitch is a hardware issue.
Users in Australia were not informed of the maintenance upgrade to the service because this type of disruption to the service is not expected during upgrades, according to NineMSN.
-We have been advised that it will be resolved in a matter of hours," the spokesperson said.
The world starts & finishes at the USA shore line. Stuff the overseas customers! Come 5.30pm East coast US time & they don't give a damn!