Your comment hints at the problem. The ISP’s build the infrastructure based on subscribership - the greater concentrations of users the more robust the cell towers. In the back-country not only do you have the obvious limitations of terrain but fewer cell towers (and some at only 3G).
The other thing is that weather - rain, snow and even wind - can disrupt or degrade signal strength. Brings a whole new meaning to “snow blind”. LOL
The upside is that it is portable so I can take it (virtually) anywhere and make a connection of some sort.
Could be...just know I’m not going back to it. :>)
I would have expected it to have at least as good service as a cell phone, but it didn’t.