Vista says Verizon USB760 modem is CD player!?

Hi! Vista says our little USB760 external USB modem (Verizon wireless) is a CD player. Thusly, we cannot connect to the Verizon network, cannot use the modem on this LenovoT61 (running Vista for Business with SP2). The machine recognizes the few other USB devices we have, correctly...

The modem works just fine on several other computers (including one with XP and one with Win7). The Vista/Lenovo machine recognizes the mass storage aspects of the modem (which it does contain), but never sees the MODEM aspect of the modem. Is there any way to simply TELL Vista that the USB device includes a modem function and should therefore have assigned to it the Verizon modem driver?

The Verizon folks say we are using their latest, current driver and that they are stumped why this trouble with Vista.

Thanks very much!!! Your help is very much appreciated.

Verizon says it is their latest, current modem and that it is installed correctly. Verizon walked it through step by step in installation.

Verizon says they have had trouble with other Vista computers too... and they don't know how to tell Vista to recognize the modem...????
Thanks for any ideas now to do this...

Thanks very much.

Gee, I canNOT have stumped the experts on this website!!!?
How about this approach:
is there a simple (?) way to just TELL WindozVista that the device in the USB slot is, in fact, a Verizon USB760 modem?
That is, does Vista permit the user to just give it information like this? (Since Vista is mis-identifying the modem as a CD player... if Vista can't see straight then will Vista let us tell it what's there?) Or maybe this is too simplistic an idea, but anyway there it is....??????
THANKS!
TGIF