The present invention includes a method and system to provide the capability of a serial based analog modem to play its connection call progress in a digital format, thus eliminating the need for analog to digital conversion at the host. In one aspect of the invention, an exemplary method includes receiving data at the serial communication device, from a serial communication network; identifying the data as call progress audio samples; transmitting the call progress audio samples to the host through the serial interface, the serial interface carrying serial data or call progress audio samples; and playing the call progress audio samples at the audio system of the host. Other methods and apparatuses are also described.