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LTE or not LTE?

LTE or not LTE


  • Total voters
    20

hughlle

Super Moderator
Staff member
Am I mistaken or does 4g just mean the 4th generation cellular and has nothing to do with LTE which gives you direct cellular connection using a computer device such as one of the versions of the new Surface 3 coming down the pike. I assume there was also a 3g LTE.

Sorry, i just get caught up with using blanket statements for terminology, 4g being the current one. I shall rephrase. I would kill for the surface pro to have any form of wireless internet be it 4g, 3g, LTE, whatever the accurate statement would be.
 

TPadden

Member
LTE or Long Term Evolution is how most 4G Networks operate at least for GSM Carriers (and most CDMA), they are marketed together as 4G LTE, but according to the ITU it isn't a true 4G technology (the same is said for WiMAX that Sprint attempted). If the LTE in question is using the LTE Advanced Standard, then it is True 4G...

I hope that clears it up ;)
Some but not all: Will Surface 3 4G LTE be able to connect to 3G networks? When I need the broadband most on the road with my Nokia 2510 LTE the only networks available are 3G (Verizon) which the tablet won't connect so I end up tethering to my phone anyway.
 

netuser

Member
I have a 4G Chromebook and I rarely use the mobile data. However, rarely is not "never." The 200MB of free T-Mobile data has come in handy several times.
200MB is enough to send a receive email and do a little web surfing when away from WiFi,
If the Surface 3 qualifies for the same 200MB free data monthly as other tablets, it will be nice to have depending on the extra charge. I probably won't get it because I would go for the Costco bundle for personal use and the is no LTE version available for pre-order through Costco.
If we were to get Surface 3s for employees, LTE versions would be really nice for a subset of frequently travelling employees so they don't have to carry a MiFi portable hotspot around with them that is another device to charge, forget or get lost.
If we are able to pop out the SIM from the MiFis we already own and pop it in a Surface 3, using the same data plans and accounts we already have, it would be a nice convenience,
Those who need to share the connection with multiple people/devices would be better off carrying a MiFi though. Even though it is possible to share an Internet connection via Windows ICS, I think the concept and more simple steps of turning on a MiFi hotspot will be easier for most users to understand than getting ICS working reliably and securely,
 

GreyFox7

Super Moderator
Staff member
I have a 4G Chromebook and I rarely use the mobile data. However, rarely is not "never." The 200MB of free T-Mobile data has come in handy several times.
200MB is enough to send a receive email and do a little web surfing when away from WiFi,
If the Surface 3 qualifies for the same 200MB free data monthly as other tablets, it will be nice to have depending on the extra charge. I probably won't get it because I would go for the Costco bundle for personal use and the is no LTE version available for pre-order through Costco.
If we were to get Surface 3s for employees, LTE versions would be really nice for a subset of frequently travelling employees so they don't have to carry a MiFi portable hotspot around with them that is another device to charge, forget or get lost.
If we are able to pop out the SIM from the MiFis we already own and pop it in a Surface 3, using the same data plans and accounts we already have, it would be a nice convenience,
Those who need to share the connection with multiple people/devices would be better off carrying a MiFi though. Even though it is possible to share an Internet connection via Windows ICS, I think the concept and more simple steps of turning on a MiFi hotspot will be easier for most users to understand than getting ICS working reliably and securely,
There's no LTE available to preorder anywhere currently, sometime in June they say.
 
OP
ctitanic

ctitanic

Well-Known Member
I have a 4G Chromebook and I rarely use the mobile data. However, rarely is not "never." The 200MB of free T-Mobile data has come in handy several times.
200MB is enough to send a receive email and do a little web surfing when away from WiFi,
If the Surface 3 qualifies for the same 200MB free data monthly as other tablets, it will be nice to have depending on the extra charge. I probably won't get it because I would go for the Costco bundle for personal use and the is no LTE version available for pre-order through Costco.
If we were to get Surface 3s for employees, LTE versions would be really nice for a subset of frequently travelling employees so they don't have to carry a MiFi portable hotspot around with them that is another device to charge, forget or get lost.
If we are able to pop out the SIM from the MiFis we already own and pop it in a Surface 3, using the same data plans and accounts we already have, it would be a nice convenience,
Those who need to share the connection with multiple people/devices would be better off carrying a MiFi though. Even though it is possible to share an Internet connection via Windows ICS, I think the concept and more simple steps of turning on a MiFi hotspot will be easier for most users to understand than getting ICS working reliably and securely,
Keep in mind that the S3 is a PC so it uses full websites opposite of a phone that uses mobile sites. The point is that browsing few pages can use those 200 MB.
 

netuser

Member
Keep in mind that the S3 is a PC so it uses full websites opposite of a phone that uses mobile sites. The point is that browsing few pages can use those 200 MB.
The Chromebook uses full desktop browser web sites also.
200MB is enough if you are not streaming video or audio and you are only browsing a few pages. You can check email and send a reply.
Simple and quick things without having to find wifi. I know it is not a substitute for a full time internet connection at home. It works for me for checking web mail and doing a few minutes of other online activity.
200MB would be harder to manage on a Surface because Windows updates night start silently downloading in the background when you connect online using up your data when all you wanted to do was check a few emails.
 

kodos

Member
I designate my hotspot connection as a metered connection on my Surface Pro 3, which keeps it from doing a lot of the background downloading. Even Outlook will warn me when I'm on a metered connection. So, from an OS perspective at least, Windows has you covered as long as you designate the connection as a metered network.
 

netuser

Member
Does anyone know if a SIM card and data plan from a Verizon MiFi will work in the LTE Surface? We have mifis already, but it would be nice to not need to have another device to carry and charge. The only time mifi will be better is when there is a need to share the connection between multiple devices.

Will there be separate LTE models for T-Mobile and Verizon or will a single model work on both networks by just switching SIMs?

Using a smartphone as a hotspot puts a huge battery drain on the phone. Does anyone know if mobile broadband will be a much more of a battery drain on the Surface than wifi?
 

LibbyLA

Member
It's unlikely that one LTE model will work on both AT&T/T-Mobile and Verizon/Sprint. Two different technologies (GSM vs. CDMA).
 

Johnny365

Member
CDMA =/ GSM

CDMA is Sprint and Verizon
GSM is T-Mobile and AT&T

There won't be a single device capable of LTE that can access CDMA and GSM networks.
 
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