Tempers Flare Over Google Nexus One Customer Support

Customer support for Nexus One has been the most consistent problem for Google thus far as it begins retail sales from its online store for the smartphone. The problem, as many observers see it, isn't that no support exists -- it's that Google will only respond to questions on Nexus One via e-mail or via comments in its mobile support forums.

The forums themselves have been flooded almost since the day of the Nexus One's launch last week. While most complaints appear to go after specific Nexus One functions like VoIP applications, many commenters have also expressed concerns that if they've paid $179 for a T-Mobile-carried Nexus One, or $529 for the unlocked version of Google's phone, they should at least be entitled to a phone number for help-desk support.

Some comments in the support forums suggest Nexus One users are turning to T-Mobile itself as well as Google Nexus One manufacturer HTC for help with problems.

"I called T-Mobile to make sure that I didn't need to activate the phone or something to get 3G service," wrote one commenter, mbaird, in the Google mobile help forums. "They said my account looked fine and that they couldn't give me any more support since I had a Nexus One, that I had to call HTC. So I called HTC and they said your 3G service is a T-Mobile issue and the couldn't help me ... I'm at the point where I'm about to send this thing back. It ruins the whole experience if I can't ever stay on 3G for more than a few seconds."

Google's response to mbaird, according to what's posted in forums, is that Google is "investigating this issue and hope to have more information for you soon. We understand your concern and appreciate your patience."

The subject of "Spotty 3g" is one of the most popular forums and as of Tuesday morning it had elicited nearly 600 responses. Google appears to be using a green "Answered" sticker to tag forums where it has responded directly to comments.

Google itself has acknowledged the problem. In an interview with The Wall Street Journal last Friday, Google Vice President of Engineering Andy Rubin admitted that Google needs to "get better at customer service."