When more than one broadband devices are found, nm-applet shows not only "Mobile broadband" but also the Vendor/Model of each device (IIRC). We should probably fix it so that the Vendor/Model is also shown when a single device is found.
I happen to have exactly the same issue in my laptop, with the internal Gobi modem and the external dongles. Sometimes the Gobi modem is not detected, and sometimes it is. So when I plug in my external dongle, there's some time when I do not know whether the Mobile broadband shown in nm-applet refers to the internal one or the external one.
When more than one broadband devices are found, nm-applet shows not only "Mobile broadband" but also the Vendor/Model of each device (IIRC). We should probably fix it so that the Vendor/Model is also shown when a single device is found.
I happen to have exactly the same issue in my laptop, with the internal Gobi modem and the external dongles. Sometimes the Gobi modem is not detected, and sometimes it is. So when I plug in my external dongle, there's some time when I do not know whether the Mobile broadband shown in nm-applet refers to the internal one or the external one.