tried the new conexant modem driver form the WIKI(http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Ubuntu_7.10/Issues/New_Conexant_Modem_Driver) .It connected ok but the gnome-ppp I am using stays on "connecting..." instead of "connected:00.00.15". Yes I am able to browse using the modem. Something wrong on the modem driver. To further check I tried the deb file in the Linuxant website. The free version worked OK.