Surface 3 LTE GPS issue

Question

Hello everybody,

I received my Surface 3 LTE 4GB yesterday. One of the main reasons I have chosen the Surface 3 over the new PRO 4 is the availability of LTE and more important to me GPS. Unfortunately I was not able to get any location values from the Broadcom GNSS 47531 GPS Sensor. The most recent driver is installed and the Device Manager reports the Sensor is working but the Sensor remains in status 'initialing'. I used two different tools to read the Sensor values:

• GnssDataInterface
• Sensor Diagnostic Tool 0.72

The Sensor Diagnostic Tool shows that the Sensor reports an error 0x800700E8 (screenshots of both application are attached). After searching the internet I found other people having the same issue on different devices (Lenovo etc.). Unfortunately I was not able to find a fix. 

I also installed GPSInfo from the Windows App Store to check if GPS is working there. Location is turned on and the App is allowed to use my location. I further did not connect to my 4G and Wlan network to prevent Windows to use the imprecise triangulation instead of the GPS but also here the tool was not able to find any location. With LTE or WLan turned on an approximated location could be found. 

Because using this tablet for navigation purposes (Aviation) is my main field of Application I will appreciate any help to get the GPS Sensor running.

Thanks in advance.

Greetings Kai

Answer 1

I don't actually know a lot about how the Surface 3 GPS in the LTE model works (or doesn't work) as I've never really experimented with this on my unlocked S3 LTE. My first question is what version Windows OS is on your new tablet? Is it updated to Windows 10 TH2 1511 build 10586? If it isn't, that's your first step. Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows10 and select Upgrade Now. When completed (will take over an hour maybe 2) go to Windows Update from Settings and keep searching for updates and apply all available until no more are available.

Then try your GPS tools again. Also see if anything at http://www.turboirc.com/gps7/  is helpful.

Answer 2

Hello Barb,

first of all many thank you for your quick reply. My Surface 3 LTE came with Windows 10 preinstalled. I also searched for pending updates and installed all until no more were remaining. 

I wanted to install Com0Com to add a virtual port to my device. The GnssDataInterface can be used to link the sensor output to a Com port in my case to the virtual one I've created with Com0Com. It seems that the www.turboirc.com/gps7/ offers one tool GPSReverse which comprise the same functionality in one instead of two tools (create a virtual COM port and map the GPS sensor data to it) which of course is more convenient. So thank you for the link.

I of course will give it a try but I'm not sure if this will solve my problem. Since I'm not able to read any data from the GPS sensor I believe the result will be the same even with GPSReverse. Actually my main problem I'm faced to is that the sensor stuck in status initializing instead of switching to ready what seems to be the normal operating state. Only in the ready state the sensor is supposed to provide location data. 

Greetings Kai

Answer 3

there's an interesting thread http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/forum/surf3-surfmobile/surface-3-4g-lte-critical-events-logged-for-ia7260/cb5150f1-1928-4a50-85e5-4195a1f98394?page=2&msgId=1700955d-e066-4cad-8d13-1c0e3bd74ddc with issues with the driver. He installed an OLDER version of the driver to fix his (different) problems.

I don't know what else to suggest..

Answer 4

Hello Kai - I'm the chap with the driver problems in the thread mentioned by Barb... but unfortunately I don't think I'm going to be much help either, as I've just checked and found my GNSS is apparently working correctly, when checked with "GNSS Data Interface" (build 1.1.0.36) or with the store apps "GPS Satellite" and "Sensors". I've turned off Wi-Fi and mobile to make sure only GNSS data is involved. Also, the GNSS seems to be working with both the later driver (20.23.8244.18) and the earlier (20.22.9057.18)

• that's until the driver crashes, of course! (The older driver, which was installed automatically by MS Update rather than deliberately by me, seems somewhat more stable on my Surface 3, Windows 10 Build 10586, but unfortunately still crashes a few days after installation, after which it crashes more frequently.) I have found the GNSS status can sometimes stick for a minute or two on "initializing" - maybe difficulty acquiring satellites? But otherwise apparently OK. Hope you get to the bottom of your issue - and the driver keeps running! - Mike.

Answer 5

Why has my reply been removed here? I kept it nice. I was just hoping to get some info from people that actually own a Surface 3 LTE. It's not that many people who have one