diff --git a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
index de9daeea9e..2ac7aea5d0 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.cpp
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ void ModemComponent::setup() {
 }
 
 void ModemComponent::loop() {
-  const int now = millis();
   if (!ModemComponent::check_modem_component_state_timings_()) {
     return;
   }
@@ -212,7 +211,7 @@ void ModemComponent::dce_init_() {
 }
 
 bool ModemComponent::check_modem_component_state_timings_() {
-  const int now = millis();
+  const uint now = millis();
   ModemComponentStateTiming timing = this->modem_component_state_timing_map_[this->state_];
   if (timing.time_limit && ((this->change_state_ + timing.time_limit) < now)) {
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "State time limit %s", this->state_to_string_(this->state_));
diff --git a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.h b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.h
index f9646c10e8..7b3cd5f026 100644
--- a/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.h
+++ b/esphome/components/modem/modem_component.h
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ enum class ModemComponentState {
 };
 
 struct ModemComponentStateTiming {
-  int poll_period;
-  int time_limit;
+  uint poll_period;
+  uint time_limit;
   ModemComponentStateTiming() : poll_period(0), time_limit(0) {}
   ModemComponentStateTiming(int poll_period, int time_limit) : poll_period(poll_period), time_limit(time_limit) {}
 };