A mobile broadband modem, also known as a connect card or data card, allows a laptop, a personal computer or a router to connect to receive Internet access via mobile broadband.
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Early connect cards used the PCMCIA or ExpressCard ports, commonly found on legacy laptops. The expression "connect card" (instead of connection card) had been registered and used the first time by Vodafone as brand for its products but now is become a brandnomer or genericized trademark used in colloquial or commercial speech for similar product, made by different manufacturers, too. Major producers are Huawei, Option N.V., Novatel Wireless. More recently, the expression "connect card" is also used to identify internet USB keys.[1]
First cards were based on the GPRS standard, then were developed for the EDGE standard. Modern cards use advanced UMTS standard like the HSUPA and HSDPA.