After being flooded with complaints that the Nexus One can’t stay on 3G networks, a Google employee has told users that it will soon offer a patch to repair the technical glitch responsible.
“Our engineers have uncovered specific cases for which a software fix should improve connectivity to 3G for some users,” a Google employee named Ravi posted on the Nexus One Forum, which is not affiliated with Google but describes itself as an “enthusiast site.”
The employee said Google has worked with its hardware partners on the remedy. “We are testing this fix now, initial results are positive, and if everything progresses as planned, we will provide an over-the-air software update to your phone in the next week or so,” he wrote.
But Ravi did not say the Nexus One was completely to blame for connectivity issues. “It may be, however, that users are experiencing problems as a result of being on the edge or outside of 3G coverage, which a product fix cannot address,” he said, while thanking users for their patience.
Connectivity problems with the 3G, or third-generation network, which allows simultaneous data and voice transmission at faster speeds, have created a logistical hassle for Google as it tries to market its first smartphone, manufactured by HTC and sold unlocked via its online store or subsidized through T-Mobile. Rather than call their wireless carrier, thousands of users brought their concerns to Google.
It’s unclear if the patch will be transmitted automatically or must be downloaded via the Google Android Market. But it is a timely response to the problem, said IDC Research mobile-devices analyst Ramon Llamas.
“The phone only came out about three weeks ago,” Llamas noted. “I didn’t expect a patch overnight, but after less than a month they are on course and doing their due diligence.”
He added that Apple’s…