Nexus One users complain of poor 3G connection

Google may set up a customer support desk to answer questions more promptly

Google's move into the mobile world continues to cause problems for the firm, the latest set back seeing hundreds of customers complaining about the 3G connection of the device and poor customer service.

A forum on Google's web site had 487 posts relating to a complaint from a user over poor 3G coverage which led to others citing similar problems with their own devices.

The user who started the thread wrote: "I have a phone that now gets no service, or if I'm really lucky, a split-second of Edge. Google is really screwing the pooch on this one."

A second user wrote: "I cannot get any 3G service as of yet," while another said: "My Nexus has 1 bar of 3G and keeps switching to Edge. If I let it sit for a while it may go to 3 bars but as soon as I start trying to use it the strength drops back to one bar."

Many users have also complained that it is unclear which company is responsible for customer support; the phone manufacturer, HTC, the US network carrier, T-Mobile, or Google itself.

The user who began the thread wrote that they had been sent back and forth between HTC and T-Mobile on several occasions, each company claiming that the other was responsible for the problems.

Another wrote: "T-Mobile also told me to call HTC. I did that and HTC sent me back to T-Mobile. I guess I was under the wrong impression, but I thought Google would handle the service on the phone."

A Google employee responded to the thread, saying: "We are investigating this issue and hope to have more information for you soon. We understand your concern and appreciate your patience."

Many users also complained about the slow response times from Google to complaints and the lack of a manned customer service support line.

However, speaking at an All Things Digital event at CES last Friday, Andy Rubin, Google's vice president for engineering, said that things were getting better everyday.

"These are weaning things. For our launch to go as smoothly as it did, and for the only problem to be 'I have a question or problem' and it took a couple of days to respond, I think we're doing great," he added.

"We have to get better at the customer service and we have to close that three day gap to a couple of hours, but we are staffing up and doing everything necessary."

Rubin also said that Google may look at getting staff on phones to help provide faster customer support.

A Google spokesperson commented that the company had been working closely with its Nexus One launch partners to make support available through a variety of channels.

"This is a new way to purchase and support a mobile phone, and we're committed to sorting out the few kinks that do exist," the spokesperson added.

The news comes on the back of the announcement that Google is to be sued by the estate of author Philip K. Dick over the term 'Nexus One', and the discovery that Google had failed to pre-register the nexusone.com or nexusone.co.uk web domains.

T-Mobile was contacted but has yet to respond to a request for comment.