LIVE FROM HUAWEI CONNECT 2017, SHANGHAI: Huawei rotating CEO Guo Ping (pictured) kicked off the event by predicting the speed of digital technology development coupled with rising investment levels will drive massive consolidation and lead to a world with just five cloud networks.

“The cloud is a cornerstone of the intelligent world,” he said in his keynote, adding: “Clouds around the world will begin to converge – becoming more and more centralised. In the future, we predict there will be five major clouds in the world. Huawei will work with our partners to build one of those five clouds.”

Guo said Huawei will build a cloud network based on its own public clouds as well as develop a global cloud alliance with its key telco partners, such as Deutsche Telekom, Telefonica and Orange.

He likened Huawei’s cloud strategy to global airline alliances, which take passengers wherever they need to go in the world: “In future, customers will ask for Huawei Cloud and reach the entire world.”

Guo declined to elaborate when asked during a media briefing about the possible timing of the consolidation and the other likely remaining cloud players.

The CEO emphasised Huawei’s cloud business model is to generate revenue from technology and services, not data: “We do not monetise user data, but allow our partners to take advantage of our technology so they can monetise their data,” he said.

Huawei also announced the launch of its Enterprise Intelligence (EI) cloud services, which it will support with general and scenario-specific options.

Zheng Yelai, president of Huawei’s cloud business unit said: “The combination of Huawei Cloud and EI makes Huawei Cloud more intelligent and will help create greater industry value with new advancements in technology.”