Surface 3 LTE Mobile Radio not working as well as IPad LTE

[Intranetsites]

Surface 3 LTE Mobile Radio not working as well as OLD IPad LTE version 2

Wow it is so great to see other lights in this darkness of mobile connections for us road warriors.
I really depend on full-time mobile broadband connection.

The Surface3 LTE mobile broadband radio appears is not as functional as my original iPad LTE radio using the same LTE service provider (Rogers..Canada).

The Surface 3 LTE tends to break connections between cell towers causing me about a 30% loss of connection.

I have used the iPad 3G and then the iPad 4G LTE from the first day they were released. I currently have the Surface 3 LTE that I use in conjunction with my iPad when on the road.

My three-year-old iPad2 LTE works much better as it loses connection just 5% of the time.

This is unacceptable Microsoft do you have a weaker mobile broadband radio? I have seen a slight Improvements in reconnect times with software updates on my surface three as it gets disconnected between towers.

Current Solution: Rather than reboot like I have for months, I now have learned to turn the radio off, wait 10 seconds and turn it back on. This action reconnects me within five seconds. That would tell me it's just a Microsoft software issue that is not able to restart the mobile radio in a timely manner.

I wish to buy a larger 12-13" tablet LTE like the Surface Pro4 or IPad Pro. (yes I realize Microsoft does not have LTE on the Surface 4 or Surface book yet)

 

[Plantje]

In that case: why not use tethering from your mobile? And why go for the Surface 3 in the first place if you already have an iPad?

 

[Intranetsites]

OMG .. tethering will kill a cell phone in 2 hours.
My last 12 years of tablets have all been live ( back to the HP tc1000)
I have used mobile sticks, cradlepoint mobile hubs to tethering. Trust me for a constant connection, tethering is an impossible business solution.

 

[Intranetsites]

I have made 130,000 Skype calls and other VOIP calls and have not used a cell phone in the last 4 years I need full time good quality connection as I am a Realtor and I am on the Road much of the day.

 

[Plantje]

Hmmm... tethering has improved. It is seamless and working very good. However I have chosen an LTE version of the Surface as well. Just because it is even better than tethering. Most important thing for me is: firing up the device means there is an internet connection. I don't care where it gets that internet connection; it should just be there.
What I really don't understand is why it seems so hard to make it work on a tablet in the same way as it does on a cell phone? Perhaps that is one of the powers of the choice of Apple for iOS for their phones and tablets and Mac OS for laptops and desktops. It's easy to optimize everything that runs iOS for mobility.

 

[festmaster]

I agree. The LTE in the Surface 3 is not instantaneous and can be flaky. I previously used a Nexus 7 with a T-Mobile SIM that worked perfectly and have both that T-Mobile SIM and an AT&T SIM for my Surface 3 and there are issues. However, I have found if I just give it a minute or so, I don't need to reboot to get online via cellular. It gets there on its own eventually.

 

[GreyFox7]

Your options for a 12" Windows tablet with LTE are at Lenovo, HP, Dell, and possibly others.

 

[Plantje]

The times that I HAVE used cellular data so far I haven't had any issues. Then again, I have a European model and I live in the Netherlands.

 

[Intranetsites]

I have a new idea how to stay connected with the few areas of lost connection while switching between cell towers.

I'm going to get a new iPad and share the connection to the Surface 3 on lte on a difference network. So now if I lose connection on wifi it SHOULD switch back to LTE on the other network without losing connection.

Am I dreaming here ? what do you think.. Two networks supporting the Surface 3 one wifi and one on lte and on two different networks that cover each other when I'm switching between cell towers??

 

[Intranetsites]

Your options for a 12" Windows tablet with LTE are at Lenovo, HP, Dell, and possibly others.

Yes Im watching them all including the new Samsung Pro S .
Sure Wish I could compare Radios.. may buy at Bestbuy and actually test them for a few days to see which one is best.

 

[Plantje]

So, are the radios that bad or is the network coverage not good?

 

[GreyFox7]

I have a new idea how to stay connected with the few areas of lost connection while switching between cell towers.

I'm going to get a new iPad and share the connection to the Surface 3 on lte on a difference network. So now if I lose connection on wifi it SHOULD switch back to LTE on the other network without losing connection.

Am I dreaming here ? what do you think.. Two networks supporting the Surface 3 one wifi and one on lte and on two different networks that cover each other when I'm switching between cell towers??

Switching wont be seamless.