Networking :: serial modem doesn't appear to dial

I am trying to install Damnsmall only a box solely dedicated to Damnsmall.  So I got a serial modem(3 to be exact).  The computer finds the modem upon boot up and when typing "pon" it get's a dial tone, so it's finding the phone, but I keep getting, "the number you have dialed is out of service, please check the number...)  The number is good.  Have set up with the modem inti string, and every which way with same result.  Ideas?

You might try putting an area code in front of the number, (I'm just fishing around, thinking that somehow you have the wrong phone number.)
If you have another box that dials that number, then make a careful note of just what number it connects with, and go over your DSL configuration.
---
I had to remaster DSL to include wvdial, so I could get my modems to connect. I do not have winmodems, but for some reason, only wvdial, as in Damn Small 0.5.3
will detect the modems. I have a notebook and a desktop with modems that seem to only work with wvdial. On one machine, I have Redhat 9, and the kppp dialer works ok, as well as DSL with (remastered) wvdial.
---
With your phone number problem, "The devil's in the details.".
---