Dallas, May 5, 2004 — In the 18 months since its introduction by CompTIA and Internet Home Alliance, HTI+™ certification has become recognized as the foundational-competency standard for home-integration technicians, the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA) reported at the Connections 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, Marcraft International, and Heathkit Educational Systems
The Demand for HTI
Although substantial information is available on the consumer electronics industry as a whole, statistics on the projected growth of integrated technologies in the home are only now beginning to emerge. Some sources anticipate slow growth and incremental adoption of integrated home technologies, rather than wholesale adoption of the “connected home” and the “internet lifestyle.” Whether or not products are integrated into an overall connected home, the home technology market in general is substantial with $15 billion in annual sales and a 9% annual growth. It includes 25,000 installing/integrating companies and 4,000 manufacturers. Looking specifically at services provided via connected homes, the Internet Home Alliance’s survey of 1000 single-family homeowners found that slightly less than half of respondents expressed interest in technologies such as video on demand; Web-based home security; remote access to electronic files; networked control of home lighting, temperature, and security; and Web tablets in the kitchen to create automated grocery lists. Early adopters of these technologies tend to be “middle-aged, well educated, and relatively affluent… with two working parents and teenage children.” CEA’s survey of 1000 consumers in 2000 indicates a moderate level of interest in home technologies. Over half (55%) of consumers expressed interest in systems that warn them when appliances are left on. 43% of consumers expressed interest in systems that diagnose and report problems, but most (74%) would prefer that the systems notify the owner rather than automatically reporting problems to service vendors. 37% of consumers were interested in kitchen appliances that help to prepare grocery lists. 36% of consumers would like to receive email notifications of home happenings such as deliveries or children arriving at home. 30% of consumers would like to use the Internet to monitor their homes. |
