Google Bows To Pressure On Nexus One ETF, Customer Support

Google on Tuesday confirmed it had cut the early termination fee for its Nexus One smartphone down to $150 from $350. The move follows a query from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which contacted Google in January to ask why the ETF for Nexus One was so high.

It's the second move Google's made in the past day or so in response to pressure to improve customer service for the Nexus One.

Earlier, Google debuted a phone support line where users can actually call and talk to humans about Nexus One concerns -- but only about Nexus One ordering and shipping and not technical issues, which Google says should be directed to Nexus One manufacturer HTC.

ETFs have been in the news frequently as of late as the FCC continues to probe not only Google but also Verizon and other cell phone makers and carriers over the fees charged to customers who break their handset plans before the end of their contracts.

Google also lowered the ETF for Nexus One T-Mobile subscribers, down to $50 from the existing $250.

Both moves -- ETF and hotline support -- are an implicit admission by Google that because of various customer service and support issues, its early January launch of Nexus One hasn't gone as smoothly as planned. Google also recently issued an over-the-air update for some Nexus One users who claimed problems with 3G connectivity on their phones.

Among the customer service problems and ETF questions, other issues around Nexus One, have included Google's distribution strategy.

Google told Channelweb.com in January that the search giant had no plans to offer Nexus One beyond its own online retail shop, and even though Wal-mart had a page up on its Web site for a time indicating the Nexus One wasn't far off, Google squashed those rumors, too.

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