10/5/2005 -- This week Planet3Wireless' Certified Wireless Network Professional (CWNP) certification program announced a new entry-level credential for wireless networking: Wireless#.

Pronounced Wireless Sharp, new title will test candidate's foundation-level knowledge of five wireless networking technologies: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WiMax, ZigBee and Infrared.

"What we have created in Wireless# is an entry level IT certification that tests knowledge of a broader range of wireless technologies,” said Kevin Sandlin, president of Planet3Wireless.

The title's one exam (PW0-050) will be available in beta format on or around October 24 for the discounted price of $85 (U.S.), Sandlin said. Objectives for the exam can be found here.

The final exam will launch sometime in January with a price point between $120 and $160 (U.S.) -- less than the program's other exams, which currently cost $175 (U.S).

According to Sandlin, the name Wireless# was chosen to help designate the certification as an entry-level title, much like how the Computing Technology Industry Association uses plus signs behind the names of its entry-level certifications, like A+ and Network+.

In fact CompTIA almost launched an entry-level wireless certification, Wireless +, back in 2002, but cancelled the project a few months after announcing it, citing a lack of standards within wireless technologies.

But the timing is now right for an entry-level wireless certification, Sandlin said. "[In] 2002, Bluetooth was still a promise, WiMax was a dream and no one had heard of ZigBee," he explained. "Now, all three have solidified their place in the market."

To view the official announcement of Wireless#, go here. For more information on the overall CWNP program, go here. -Becky Nagel