[May 05, 2004] CompTIA HTI+ Competency Standard Gains Industry Recognition DALLAS --(Business Wire)-- May 5, 2004 -- In the 18 months since its introduction by CompTIA and Internet Home Alliance, HTI+(TM) certification has become recognized as the foundational-competency standard for home-integration technicians, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) reported at the Connections(TM) Digital Home Conference and Showcase. Industry leaders such as Best Buy, CompUSA, D&H Distributing, and Sears now either recommend or require that technicians associated with their home integration products and services pass the two HTI+ exams and earn the certification. "Training and certifying key sales and technical personnel to the CompTIA Home Technology Integrator (HTI+) standard will assure customers of professionalism, consistency, and quality from their first interaction with CompUSA to the installed whole-home computing and entertainment system," said George Coll, Vice President Services / E-Commerce, CompUSA. "Our principal reasons for joining the CompTIA HTI+ certification committee are to be closely involved in the skills development process and to be able to offer a verified tool that helps our resellers migrate into the home integration market," said Dan Schwab, vice president of marketing at D&H Distributing. "Sears Connected Home wants to ensure our customers are working with certified professionals with expertise in networking products and systems -- everything from entertainment centers and computers to telecommunication, broadband cable, and security systems," said Bob Baker, director of Sears Integrated Services, Business Development. In addition to Best Buy, CompUSA, D&H Distributing, Sears and Internet Home Alliance, the following organizations serve on the CompTIA HTI+ steering committee --Cisco Systems, Fluke Networks, Gateway Computer, HomeDirector, Honeywell International, Panasonic, Whirlpool Corporation, Bradford Learning, Heathkit Educational Systems, and Marcraft International. An industry on the brink of expansion With the unprecedented consumer demand for high-speed internet access, personal computers, cable and satellite television, and digital audio, a whole new technology infrastructure has entered the home. "At a point in the very near future, information, communication, entertainment, security systems and basic utilities such lights, heating, and cooling will be connected in the average new home through a specialized whole-home infrastructure," said Brian McCarthy, chief operating officer of CompTIA. "This infrastructure of low voltage cables, connection ports, and control panel will be a required utility in new homes. Very rapidly there is going to be increasing demand for trained and certified home technology integrators to install and support this new utility. The importance of CompTIA HTI+ is that the certification provides a national standard for courseware development, training, and foundational skills mastery. CompTIA HTI+ is the current and future trust mark for a new and vitally important industry." For more information on CompTIA HTI+ please visit the CompTIA website at www.comptia.org. About CompTIA CompTIA is a global trade association representing the business interests of the information technology industry. For more than 22 years CompTIA has provided research, networking and partnering opportunities to its more than 19,000 members in 89 countries. The association is involved in developing standards and best practices, and influencing the political, economic and educational arenas that impact IT worldwide. More information is at www.comptia.org. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]