Google Nexus One customers report 3G problems: Google support 'sucks complete ass'

Paul Nesbitt

Google's Nexus One smartphones are having problems accessing T-Mobile's 3G network in the US.

On Google's website hundreds of postings have appeared from Nexus One owners complaining about poor 3G support. And it appears that the problem is specific to the Nexus One, rather than a network problem.

'My G1 [smartphone] has 3G with full strength, but sitting right next to it my Nexus has 1 bar of 3G and keeps switching to Edge. If I let it sit for a while it may go up to 3 bars of signal strength but as soon as I start trying to use it the signal strength drops back down to one bar.,' wrote one Nexus customer.
And judging by the tenor of the postings, Nexus One owners are growing frustrated by poor customer support. Google sells the phone on its website but it's not set up to handle large volumes of customer support, and it's notoriously hard to get hold of anyone at Google.

Many of the posters on the Google website complained of being told by HTC, which manufactures the Nexus to talk to T-Mobile, only to be told by T-Mobile staff that this is something that HTC should handle.

One Nexus One customer with 3G problems summed up the situation in his posting: 'Given the retail model for this phone, we're going to get a lot of the following: TMobile: Talk to HTC as they made the phone. HTC: Sorry, it's the TMobile network.

'The only way this will get fixed is if there is a mass uprising...Otherwise this is going to get lost in the shuffle...I can almost guarantee it. Google is probably in the best position to cause action here. After all, if they don't be proactive this model is going to fail miserably. The problem with Google is generally speaking, their customer service sucks complete ass.

T-Mobile issued a statement on its website that admitted there were problems: 'Google and T-Mobile are investigating this issue and hope to have more information for you soon. We understand your concern and appreciate your patience.'

Google has not commented on the issue other than to acknowledge that it is trying to sort out a 'few kinks' with its phone's reception.