Microsoft on MSN China website for Windows Live Messenger, posted that telecommunications operators had confirmed that the August 17 earthquake was responsible for damages to undersea fiber optic cables. As a direct result, Internet services in China, neighboring countries, as well as internationally were disrupted. But at the same time, the impact of the quake was not limited to the Redmond company’s instant messaging client. “Affected by this, Windows Live Messenger users may encounter logon problems or unable to login problems. Users may experience is not working properly access your Hotmail, spaces, and other Microsoft online services,” the announcement translated with Bing Translator reads.