E-Business
Cisco, HPE & Huawei Top 2017 2Q Growth in Worldwide Enterprise WLAN Market

The Second Quarter of 2017 consumer and enterprise worldwide wireless local area network (WLAN) market segments grew by 2.5% year over year in the second quarter of 2017 (2Q17), finishing at $2.37 billion with Cisco, HPE and huawei leading the table.
According to results published in the International Data Corporation (IDC) Worldwide Quarterly WLAN Tracker, the enterprise segment grew 9.4% year over year in 2Q17 to reach $1.48 billion.
In the enterprise segment, annualized growth in 2Q17 was comparable to that of 2Q16, when year-over-year growth also registered at 9.4%
IDC believes that a steady stream of upgrades to the 802.11ac standard as part of the digital transformation (DX) of the enterprise contributed heavily to the 2Q17 growth.
The 802.11ac standard now accounts for 84.5% of dependent access point unit shipments and 92.1% of dependent access point revenues, up from 70.9% and 84.7% in 1Q17.
This significant sequential jump points to a continued trend of 802.11n obsolescence, which is expected to be nearly complete by the end of 2018.
Meanwhile, consumer WLAN market revenue decreased 7.2% on a year-over-year basis in 2Q17, finishing at $892.3 million.
In 2Q17, the 802.11ac standard accounted for just 32.3% of shipments and 62.8% of revenue in the consumer category.
802.11ac was a bright spot in the consumer WLAN segment in 2Q17, with revenues increasing 13.6% year over year and shipments increasing 36.2% over the same period.
“The enterprise WLAN market’s 2Q17 performance sends a strong message that this market is still in growth mode,” said Nolan Greene, senior research analyst, Network Infrastructure at IDC.
“WLAN is a critical enabler of end-to-end digital transformation strategies as wireless applications and devices continue to unlock new digital and business outcomes.”
From a geographic perspective, the enterprise WLAN market saw its strongest 2Q17 growth coming from the Middle East and Africa (MEA), which increased 33.2% year over year in 2Q17, following a 1Q17 where the region experienced flatness.
A 63.3% year-over-year upswing in the United Arab Emirates is the largest vector of this growth
.
Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) experienced strong growth for a second consecutive quarter, increasing 19.8% on an annualized basis in 2Q17.
Standout performers in the region include Hungary (up 66.9% year over year) and Russia (up 42.1%).
Asia/Pacific (excluding Japan)(APeJ) saw another strong performance in 2Q17, increasing 17.6% year over year.
While most APeJ countries saw growth in 2Q17, Singapore and Thailand were most noteworthy (up 177.9% and 71.1% year over year, respectively).
Western Europe also delivered a robust performance, increasing 16.2% on a year-over-year basis in 2Q17, with Spain and Finland recording the highest country-level growth rates (up 46.2% and 34.8%, respectively).
Japan now has experienced four consecutive quarters of growth (up 15.5% in 2Q17), signaling a full turnaround of a multi-quarter decline trend that took place from 2014-2016.
The Americas experienced more moderate growth in 2Q17.
Latin America increased 1.3% on an annualized basis.
Argentina was a bright spot in the region, growing 47.6% year over year.
North America was essentially flat, rising 0.3% year over year in 2Q17 with a 4.4% increase in Canada and essentially flat growth in the United States.
“A continued uptick in 802.11ac shipments as the de facto global standard for some time to come powered strong growth across most regions,” said Petr Jirovsky, research manager, Worldwide Networking Trackers.
“Aside from the ongoing DX trends, the market will also be shaped by ongoing refresh cycles and regional economics.”
The Key Enterprise WLAN Vendor Updates are Cisco’s 2Q17 worldwide enterprise WLAN revenue increased 8.2% year over year in 2Q17.
Cisco’s worldwide market share came in at 43.2% in 2Q17, down from 43.4% in 1Q17, and 43.7% in 2Q16.
IDC believes that the Meraki cloud-managed WLAN portfolio remains one of the primary growth drivers for Cisco, offsetting declines in its traditional controller-based WLAN portfolio.
HPE-Aruba (excluding its OEM business and excluding H3C as of 2Q16) increased 28.8% year over year in 2Q17.
HPE-Aruba’s market share stands at 17.2% in 2Q17, up from 16.2% in 1Q17 and 14.6% in 2Q17.
Brocade-Ruckus declined 7.4% year over year in 2Q17, while growing 19.5% sequentially.
Brocade-Ruckus accounted for 5.8% of the overall market in 2Q17, up from 5.7% in 1Q17 and down from 6.8% in 2Q16.
Ubiquiti recorded another quarter of strong growth in 2Q17, increasing 37.1% year over year.
Ubiquiti accounted for 5.3% of the overall market in 2Q17, down from 6.1% in 1Q17 and 4.2% in 2Q16.
Huawei once again experienced very strong growth in 2Q17, increasing 111.6% over 2Q16, while claiming 4.5% market share, up from 2.3% in 2Q16.
E-Business
South Korea Joins List of Countries Banning DeepSeek over Security Concerns

South Korean authorities have temporarily blocked new downloads of the DeepSeek artificial intelligence (AI) app, citing concerns over the company’s handling of user data.
The country’s Personal Information Protection Commission (PIPC) announced the decision on Monday, saying that the Chinese AI startup had failed to fully comply with South Korea’s data protection laws.
According to PIPC, DeepSeek recently appointed legal representatives in South Korea and admitted to partially neglecting regulatory considerations regarding user privacy.
“The Chinese startup appointed legal representatives last week in South Korea and had acknowledged partially neglecting considerations of the country’s data protection law,” the PIPC said.
The commission added that the app’s service would resume once the company implements improvements in accordance with national privacy laws.
According to Reuters, when asked about South Korea’s move, a spokesperson for China’s foreign ministry said the Chinese government prioritises data privacy and security, ensuring compliance with legal standards.
The spokesperson also said China does not require companies or individuals to collect or store data in violation of laws.
The ban follows similar actions by other governments.
On February 4, Australia prohibited the use of DeepSeek on government devices due to security concerns.
Italy’s privacy regulator recently blocked the AI service, citing the company’s failure to address data policy issues.
Taiwan has also warned about potential risks related to cross-border data transmission and information leaks.
Also, regulators in Ireland and France have launched investigations into DeepSeek’s data-handling practices.
DeepSeek gained global adoption for its advanced human-like reasoning capabilities and open-source model.
In January, it surpassed OpenAI’s Chatgpt as the most downloaded free app on the Apple store.
E-Business
AU Endorses Nigeria as AfCFTA Digital Trade Champion

The African Union (AU) has officially designated Nigeria as the Digital Trade Champion under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Digital Trade Protocol, citing the country’s leadership in digital enterprise and innovation.
The endorsement came at the 38th Ordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government, which concluded on Sunday in Addis Ababa.
Nigeria’s proactive role in advancing the digital trade protocol, adopted in February 2024, was a key factor in the decision.
The AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol encompasses eight annexes covering crucial areas such as rules of origin, digital identities, cross-border data transfers, online safety, and financial technology. The protocol is expected to provide a robust framework for Africa’s digital economy.
According to a statement issued on Monday by Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, former President of Niger Republic and AU AfCFTA Champion, Mahamadou Issoufou, praised Nigeria’s leadership, particularly for convening the Digital Economy Roundtable in January.
“No organization, region, or continent has negotiated or adopted such a comprehensive legal instrument on digital trade, positioning the African continent to benefit from the digital economy for innovation and job creation,” Issoufou said in his progress report to the AU Assembly.
He also highlighted Africa’s growing influence in digital innovation, particularly in mobile banking and financial technology, and noted that the protocol would create an enabling environment for young African entrepreneurs.
“The AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade will establish a conducive environment for these young people to fully participate in Africa’s digital economy,” Issoufou added.
Reflecting on the roundtable in Abuja, he commended President Bola Tinubu and his administration for facilitating discussions with key stakeholders.
“The Roundtable was attended by young pioneers in Fintech, mobile banking and other areas of the digital economy. It was evident from the discussions that young people are eager to take advantage of Africa’s digital economy through the AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade”, he said.
Speaking at the AU summit, Nigeria’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, described the AU’s endorsement as a milestone in Africa’s economic development.
“Africa has demonstrated global leadership by pioneering the first-of-its-kind AfCFTA Protocol on Digital Trade—establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework,” Dr. Oduwole stated.
She emphasized that the protocol is a “game changer” for the continent, predicting that it would generate millions of jobs, contribute billions to Africa’s GDP, and attract significant investments in digital infrastructure.
E-Business
Schmidt, Ex Google Chief Says AI Risky in Terrorist Hands

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO has expressed concerns about the extreme risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI) falling into the hands of terrorists or rogue states.

Eric Schmidt, former Google CEO
He warned that nations such as North Korea, Iran, and Russia could adopt AI technologies to develop weapons capable of causing significant harm, including biological weapons.
Schmidt urged governments to oversee private tech companies, emphasising, “The real fears I have are not the ones most people discuss about AI, I talk about extreme risk.”
“I’m always worried about an ‘Osama Bin Laden’ scenario, where truly evil individuals take control of some aspect of modern life to harm innocent people,” he added.
With private companies driving AI advancements, he stressed the need for careful government monitoring and regulation. “It’s really important that governments understand what we’re doing and keep their eye on us,” he said.
His remarks followed a two-day AI summit in Paris, where the UK and the U.S. declined to sign a communiqué outlining the future direction of AI. The declaration on “inclusive and sustainable artificial intelligence for people and the planet” was endorsed by 57 countries, including India, China, the Vatican, the EU, and the African Union Commission.
The UK justified its decision, stating that the agreement lacked “practical clarity” on global AI governance and national security concerns.
Schmidt supports U.S. export controls restricting the sale of advanced AI microchips to certain countries, aiming to slow adversaries’ progress in AI research.
He also highlights the importance of international collaboration on AI safety, suggesting that cooperation with nations like China is essential to addressing global AI challenges.
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