In article <6fihf6$e7f$4@colwyn.owl.de> you write:
> > ...  I'm using modemd to answer the phone.
> 
> I use only "pppd". Does "modemd" use any special system calls or io controls
> which "pppd" doesn't?

I don't think so. And as I said, pppd hangs too. Only when the line has
gone down and it's trying to reconnect, though. I'm thinking it's the
closing-and-opening that wedges the port. That's the only comonality
between the two. That's also why I'm wondering if the -current com
driver might avoid the problem, that section of code having been
reworked some.

Problem is it happens so rarely that it's hard to diagnose. I haven't
been able to reproduce it on demand, either.