NTT Docomo Disruption Hits Calls, Data and Texts Across Japan

Nationwide trouble reaches beyond Docomo customers

NTT Docomo said around noon on November 5, 2026, in its original outage statement that mobile services were difficult to use across Japan, affecting voice calls, internet connections and text messages. The disruption also reached customers of other mobile providers that use Docomo's network, while the company checked whether emergency calls were affected.

The announcement followed the suspension earlier that morning of Docomo Online Shop and My docomo, the service customers use to check charges and change contracts. Docomo said suspected unauthorized access to its servers had prompted those suspensions.

The immediate problem for mobile customers was broad: calling someone, using an app through mobile data or sending an SMS could all be difficult. Docomo described communications as unstable, meaning customers could encounter unreliable service rather than a uniform loss of every function in every location.

Docomo was investigating when the network fault began, what caused it, whether emergency calls were affected and when service would return. Whether the disruption was connected to the suspected unauthorized access was also unknown. The company said it would announce further details as they were confirmed. Its initial notice said the start time and further details of the impact were still being confirmed, and that it would provide an update on the restoration outlook.

Calls, mobile internet and SMS are affected

Docomo identified three affected services: voice communication, data communication and SMS. Together, these cover the main ways people use a mobile connection to speak, go online and exchange basic text messages.

Data communication is the connection that lets a phone load websites and exchange information through apps when it is using the mobile network. SMS, short for short message service, is the text messaging service associated with a phone number. It is separate from messages sent through an internet messaging app.

Customers trying to contact someone may therefore encounter trouble across more than one service. Moving from a voice call to a text message still means using a function that Docomo listed as affected. An internet messaging app also needs a working internet connection.

Docomo described the geographic scope as nationwide. Its announcement concerned difficulty using services across Japan, with the extent of disruption at individual locations still being checked. The company did not give a customer count in its initial account.

Why customers of other providers are involved

Mobile providers that lease access to Docomo's network were also affected. These businesses are known as mobile virtual network operators, or MVNOs. They sell mobile services under their own brands while relying on another company's network to carry calls, messages and data.

A customer can therefore have a contract with a different provider and still depend on Docomo's infrastructure. The name on the monthly bill and the company operating the underlying mobile network can be different.

The disruption extended the practical reach of the incident beyond people who bought their service directly from Docomo. For customers of affected MVNOs, the relevant connection was the network carrying their communications, regardless of which business handled their subscription.

Emergency calls are a central concern

Docomo was checking whether calls to 110 and 119 were affected. In Japan, 110 connects callers to police, while 119 is used for fire and ambulance services. These numbers make the reliability of voice connections a public safety concern as well as a matter of daily convenience.

The company's initial description left the status of emergency calling under investigation. For people facing an urgent situation, reaching an emergency service is the critical issue, so confirmation of those calls was among the most consequential details still awaiting an update.

Voice calls, data and SMS each serve different purposes, but all three were included in Docomo's description of the disruption. That breadth matters when people need to reach family members, colleagues or services quickly, because their usual alternatives may rely on the same mobile network.

Online account services were suspended earlier

Docomo had already suspended two customer services on the morning of November 5 after judging that unauthorized external access was highly likely. The company said the suspensions were intended to allow investigation of the cause.

Docomo Online Shop handles transactions including new contracts. Its suspension affected customers seeking to arrange service online. My docomo is used by existing subscribers to check their charges and make changes to their contracts, so its closure interrupted account management as well.

The morning suspensions and the network announcement created two distinct problems for customers: access to online sales and account tools was interrupted, and mobile communications became difficult to use. Docomo's investigation needed to address both the suspected server access and the fault affecting the network.

Unauthorized access means someone may have entered a computer system without permission. Determining what happened requires examining the affected systems and their activity. Docomo's statement described a strong suspicion of such access and a decision to suspend the two online services while investigating.

What happened on November 5

Docomo's announcements place the online service suspensions before the public notice of nationwide mobile trouble. Around noon was the time the network disruption was announced; the company was still checking when the fault itself began.

• Morning, November 5: Docomo announced the suspension of Docomo Online Shop and My docomo to investigate suspected unauthorized external access.
• Around noon, November 5: Docomo announced nationwide difficulty using voice calls, mobile data and SMS, including services provided by MVNOs using its network.
• Following the network announcement: Docomo was checking the cause, the start time, the effect on emergency calls and the outlook for restoration.

Docomo said it would provide more information as details became available. Its next updates would be needed to establish the duration of the disruption and give customers a clearer picture of which services were returning.

Customers face communication and account problems

For individuals, the disruption affected basic tasks such as making calls, sending texts and accessing online services through mobile data. For businesses that use mobile connections, the same problems could interrupt communication with staff and customers or access to systems used during work.

Mobile data also supports activities such as payments and logistics management. Any effect on a particular transaction or business system would depend on the connection it used and whether that connection was working. Docomo's announcement focused on the affected communications services.

Docomo apologized to customers in a statement addressing the disruption:

We sincerely apologize to our customers for the significant inconvenience,

The immediate priorities were restoring reliable communications, confirming emergency call access and explaining the causes of the network trouble and the online service suspensions. Customers using Docomo directly and those connected through affected MVNOs were waiting for those answers.

Key Points

• Docomo announced nationwide mobile service disruption around noon on November 5, 2026.
• Voice calls, mobile data and SMS were difficult to use.
• MVNO services using Docomo's network were also affected.
• Docomo was checking whether emergency calls to 110 and 119 were affected.
• Docomo Online Shop and My docomo had been suspended earlier that morning over suspected unauthorized access.
• The cause, start time, restoration outlook and possible connection between the incidents remained under investigation.