Upstart Internet telephony service Vonage Inc. is looking to get into gear directly, forging a deal with technology heavy-hitter Texas Instruments Inc. to develop voice-over Internet Protocol products compatible with its network.

Up to now, Vonage's Internet telephony service, which offers customers voice service harnessing their broadband cable modem or digital subscriber line connection, has been primarily software driven. This deal will give it a significant hardware integration play, allowing developers to create VoIP consumer devices that can more easily link to Vonage's network.

"New Vonage-enabled devices will be in the hands of consumers faster due to this collaboration," said Jeffrey Citron, chairman and CEO of Vonage, in a statement. "These devices will serve as the backbone for the telecommunications revolution by combining multiple communications technologies into one device, thus enhancing the array of features and broadening usability."

It also gives the telephony service provider a credible industry partner. According to an In-Stat/MDR November 2003 report, TI supplies about 80 percent of the total VoIP integrated circuit (IC) shipment volume for the IP phone, voice gateway and infrastructure gateway markets.