Debian and USB cell phone for laptop dialing?

[Scott Ehrlich]

I have a Verizon Wireless cell phone and the corresponding USB data cable
which I've successfully installed under Windows XP for cell dialup.

I'd like to dial in now via Linux on the laptop (new install of Debian
unstable with Gnome).   I just obtained gnome-ppp for dialup testing, but
it probed my serial ports.   What dialer, if any, can probe USB ports, or,
is there a software bridge of some kind to maybe even make the USB port
appear as a serial port?

Thanks.

Scott