have spent hours and learned lots but not quite there, this is out of windoze (sorry for swearing).
here's messages log:
an 10 18:54:26 localhost kernel: hub.c: new USB device 00:03.1-2, assigned address 14
Jan 10 18:54:26 localhost kernel: usb.c: USB device 14 (vend/prod 0x6b9/0x4061) is not claimed by any active driver.
Jan 10 18:54:31 localhost /etc/hotplug/usb.agent: ... no modules for USB product 6b9/4061/400
Jan 10 18:54:31 localhost last message repeated 2 times
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4066]: Plugin /usr/lib/pppd/2.4.1/pppoatm.so loaded.
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4066]: PPPoATM plugin_init
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4066]: PPPoATM setdevname - remove unwanted options
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4066]: PPPoATM setdevname_pppoatm - SUCCESS:0.38
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4067]: pppd 2.4.1 started by root, uid 0
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4067]: connect(0.38): No such device
Jan 10 18:54:32 localhost pppd[4067]: Exit.

usb view tells me USB product 6b9/4061/400 is the speedtouch, its highlit in red in usbview, and its not finding its driver.
but pppd seems to be working now, if only it could find the modem!
ideas anyone?
tia jim