FCC imposes sweeping ban on foreign-made routers, affecting all new models

Key Points:

• The FCC announced it will no longer approve consumer-grade routers made outside the US, following a directive from President Trump aimed at reducing reliance on foreign technology for national security reasons. This ban affects new router models produced at least partly abroad unless granted conditional approval by the Department of Defense or Homeland Security.
• Existing foreign-made routers already approved in the US can continue to be sold and receive software updates until at least March 1, 2027, with possible extensions. The FCC updated its Covered List to include all foreign-made consumer-grade routers, defining them as devices primarily intended for residential use that forward data packets.
• The FCC cited increasing cyberattacks leveraging vulnerabilities in foreign-made routers against American households and infrastructure, emphasizing risks such as espionage, data theft, and botnet attacks. The agency highlighted that most routers in US homes are foreign-produced, creating unacceptable economic and national security risks.
• Router manufacturers seeking conditional approval must justify why manufacturing cannot be done in the US and provide a detailed plan to expand domestic production. Companies like TP-Link, now US-based, and Netgear expressed support for the FCC’s focus on supply chain security and commitment to investing in US manufacturing.
• This FCC action rescinds a prior Biden-era security mandate on telecom providers and aligns with Trump’s 2025 National Security Strategy, which emphasizes eliminating dependence on foreign sources for critical technology components. The FCC’s approach is broad, targeting all foreign-made routers rather than specific manufacturers.