CompTIA Blog

This week, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1123, “the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act.” The text included a last-minute addition that limited the right to unlock a cell phone to the individual purchaser. This was in contrast to a previous version of the bill that CompTIA supported, one that did not have a distinction between the individual purchaser and businesses that wish to engage in what is referred to as bulk cell phone unlocking for resale purpos ...

This Black History Month, CompTIA notes the contributions of Aaron Woods, director of U.S. solutions providers, relationship and partners at Xerox and the first African-American member of the CompTIA Board of Directors. Woods is an ardent supporter of TechVoice – CompTIA’s public advocacy grass roots network – and the IT industry. “Being the first of anything usually brings with it some concerns as to how you will be viewed by others,” Woods said. “As it ...

This week, CompTIA will urge the prompt enactment of H.R. 2992, “the Business Activity Tax Simplification Act of 2013,” legislation that modifies the way states can collect taxes from out-of-state businesses. CompTIA submitted its testimony for the hearing by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law. Also known as BATSA, the legislation sets up a “physical presence nexus standard” for businesses: In order for a state to tax busi ...

In the IT channel, the term reseller may still be alive and well, but it has undergone significant transformations in the past five years. While many providers still count on PC and other infrequent hardware sales to top off their coffers, many industry experts believe the bulk of new channel revenue now comes from the cyber world. When mobility solutions are factored into the mix, it’s hard to see how companies that rely heavily on the traditional reseller model will remain competitive. T ...

While communications is not a new topic for most companies, new trends in technology and changes in workforce dynamics are forcing many businesses to re-examine their strategies. Thirty-one percent of end-user firms cite communications as a high priority, and they are clearly driving demand here since 36 percent of channel firms believe their clients place a high priority on communications. Cloud computing and mobility are giving companies new options and possibilities for communications infras ...

Day two of the 2014 D.C. Fly-In kicked off at the Cannon House Office Building with speakers who delved into data breach, broadband spectrum and cybersecurity. These included Senator Mark Pryor (D-Ark.); FCC Commissioner Jessica Rosenworcel; Adam Sedgewick, senior information technology policy advisor at the National Institute of Standards Technology; and Rep. Lee Terry (R-Neb.). Pryor discussed cybersecurity and data breach issues currently being considered within their committees, including th ...

In the managed service space of the IT channel, there’s been a touch of health-care fever. With the U.S. government’s electronic medical records (EMR) and electronic health records (EHR) initiatives and directives in place, doctors’ offices and medical facilities have looked like goldmines for value-added resellers and managed service providers. Health care was said to be primed, willing and ready for the IT channel to upgrade and support their thriving practices. Like the fort ...

During the TechVoice D.C. Fly-In yesterday, David Dimmett of Project Lead The Way presented this eye-opening statistic: Nine out of every 10 high schools in the country don’t offer computer science. With that in mind, a panel debated how the IT industry can help drive STEM success in the U.S. Project Lead the Way prepares students for the global economy. With five programs of study for kindergarten through high school, the company trains teachers. Grades K-5 participate in the la ...

Our second 2014 D.C. Fly-In panel this afternoon delved into how federal tax provisions – including tax reform efforts – can help new, small, nimble tech companies grow, hire more qualified workers, and provide new and innovative products and services. We learned how “the Startup Innovation Credit Act” and other tax provisions directed to small startup companies can create better opportunities for starting and growing tech businesses in the U.S. Panelists Rick Morgan, pol ...

This afternoon, we kicked off our much anticipated 2014 D.C. Fly-In, organized by TechVoice, the partnership of CompTIA and the Technology Councils of North America (TECNA), with an important panel on patent reform. Vishal Amin, majority senior counsel, House Judiciary Committee, discussed how the costs associated with abusive patent litigation are a considerable burden for small- and medium-sized IT businesses trying to get on their feet and compete within a $3.2 trillion global industry. Durin ...

In the wake of high-profile data breaches at Target and Neiman Marcus, among others, Congress held three hearings on data security and data breaches last week. The first, held by the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, dealt with specific financial sector issues related to data breaches, but the Senate Judiciary Committee and House Energy and Commerce Committee hearings looked at data security and data breaches from a number of different angles. Following the hearings, there is ...

CompTIA, the leading provider of vendor neutral skills certifications for information technology (IT) professionals, and dozens of its industry partners are teaming up to give someone the chance to “Be One in a Million.”

When Lindsay Dick first dipped her toes in the IT channel, she expected — in fact, invited — the challenge. Her professional expertise wasn’t geared toward information technology, but what she lacked in a formal technical background she made up for in pluck. But when it came right down to it, the initial experience turned out to be a bit more overwhelming than she’d imagined. Luckily, Dick had the good fortune to connect with Lori Berry, an executive council member of Com ...

TechVoice recently spoke with Brooks Raiford, president and CEO of the North Carolina Technology Association (NCTA) and one of the recipients of the 2014 TechVoice Champion Awards. NCTA leverages events to advance its policy agenda, as well as links member companies with public sector contracts, fostering growth and opportunity for the North Carolina IT sector. What are some of the initiatives you’ve implemented that have advanced NCTA’s policy agenda the most? Back in 2008, whe ...

The information technology (IT) industry is likely to experience moderate growth in 2014, according to the IT Industry Outlook 2014 released this week by CompTIA. CompTIA’s consensus forecast projects a 2014 growth rate of 3.4 percent for the global IT industry, with upside potential of 5.9 percent. The U.S. forecast is slightly lower: 3 percent, with upside potential of 5.4 percent. Get the full story here.