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The FCC granted SpaceX's Starlink an exemption allowing certain foreign-made routers and related customer premises equipment to remain approved through February 1, 2028, despite a broader ban targeting devices with components produced outside the United States. The waiver, issued in a public notice, said the Starlink devices were cleared after a national security review and received approval from the Department of Defense, while the FCC concluded they do not pose an unacceptable risk.
The decision sits within a wider FCC policy aimed at restricting routers, LTE/5G CPE, and Wi-Fi hotspot devices tied to foreign supply chains amid U.S. concerns about China-linked threats, including fallout from the Salt Typhoon intrusions. Reports said some Starlink routers are manufactured in Texas while others are made in Vietnam, and that other vendors including Netgear and Amazon have also received exemptions; the FCC also extended the window for vendors to provide software updates to already-authorized devices from one year to two years.
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In a public notice dated July 27, the FCC granted SpaceX/Starlink an exemption from the ban on certain foreign-made routers and related customer premises equipment after determining the devices did not pose a national security risk. The exemption allows Starlink routers to remain approved through February 1, 2028, and the notice said the routers received Department of Defense approval.
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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission granted large cable internet service providers a limited one-year waiver allowing manufacturers to replace certain parts in previously approved consumer routers without new certification. The waiver followed an NCTA request warning that the FCC’s earlier restrictions on foreign-made consumer routers could trigger shortages and supply-chain disruption, and it permits changes such as substrate materials and memory modules so existing models can stay in production. The FCC said the broader policy was driven by national security concerns, including evidence that routers have been used in hacking campaigns by actors including Chinese state-linked groups, while previously extending the deadline for software and firmware support on already approved devices until `2029-01-01`. The policy shift comes as scrutiny of router vendors intensifies, including a new Netgear counterclaim against TP-Link in Delaware federal court alleging false advertising over TP-Link’s portrayal of itself as an American company and its representations about product origin. Netgear argues TP-Link’s California reincorporation did not sever core ties to China-based leadership, R&D, and manufacturing, while TP-Link has accused Netgear of improperly linking it to cyber activity associated with the Typhoon threat groups. The dispute is unfolding alongside reviews by the Department of Defense, Commerce Department, FCC, FTC, and state attorneys general, underscoring how supply-chain security, vendor provenance, and router abuse in espionage campaigns are shaping U.S. broadband and device policy.
Jun 29, 2026
The FCC has added all new foreign-made consumer routers to its **Covered List**, blocking their import and sale in the United States after a White House-led interagency review found they pose an unacceptable national security and public safety risk. U.S. officials said overseas-manufactured routers could be exploited to disrupt the economy, critical infrastructure, and national defense, and linked the concern to activity associated with **Volt Typhoon**, **Flax Typhoon**, and **Salt Typhoon**, which have targeted U.S. networks and infrastructure. The restrictions apply to new devices rather than routers already authorized for sale, meaning existing products can continue to be imported, sold, and used for now. Foreign manufacturers may still seek approval, but must provide detailed disclosures on ownership, supply chains, software and firmware provenance, and any plans to shift critical component production to the United States. The move is expected to tighten availability of new router models and raise costs, while critics argue it does not solve broader router security problems such as insecure firmware, weak patching, compromised update systems, and supply-chain exposure that can persist regardless of where hardware is assembled.
Jun 29, 2026
The FCC issued new rules restricting routers produced in foreign countries unless they receive **Conditional Approval** from the Department of Defense or Department of Homeland Security, according to discussion citing FCC documentation and the agency’s supply chain covered list. The policy was described as limiting use of foreign-made networking equipment while creating an exception process tied to U.S. government review and commitments around domestic manufacturing. The move drew criticism on the NANOG mailing list, where operators argued that few routers are truly manufactured in the United States and that assembly location does little to improve security compared with software provenance and supply-chain assurance. Participants also linked the policy debate to a recent U.S. law enforcement disruption of major IoT DDoS botnets that the Department of Justice called the world’s largest, crediting the FBI Alaska field office and network operators for helping dismantle infrastructure behind record-breaking attacks against victims worldwide.
Jun 29, 2026