surf stick
Mobile Internet and mobile computing with smart mobile devices such as tablets, netbooks or notebooks require a fast communication link to powerful mobile networks such as the UMTS network or Long Term Evolution( LTE+). Such a communication link can be established via UMTS, HSDPA and LTE modems.
UMTS modems, which consist of a UMTS transmitter and UMTS receiver, are already integratedin some of the end devices mentioned, so that the end device can be connected directly to the mobile Internet via the UMTS network by activating a provider.
End devices that do not support these technologies internally can be connected to UMTS, HSPA+, Long Term Evolution (LTE) and LTE+ via a surfstick that contains the corresponding radio modem.
The surfstick, web stick, Internet stick or UMTS stick has a USB interface. It is plugged into the USB interface of the mobile end device such as a notebook or tablet and works in plug-and-play. Surfsticks have a receiver unit for a mobile communications standard such as UMTS or Long Term Evolution (LTE). The receiver card for the cellular standard is equipped with a SIM card to prevent unauthorized use of the cellular network. Surfsticks are suitable for mobile devices that do not support a cellular standard. They are plugged into a USB port of the notebook or tablet and connect to the Internet via the receiver unit, where the user can then surf.
Surfsticks are offered by many providers with flat rates, in prepaid or with daily and monthly fees. The surfstick has a slot for the Universal Subscriber Identity Module ( USIM) card.