SGS Wireless Lab Newsletter – 202604

United States FCC

FCC Bans Foreign-Made Consumer Routers

On March 23, 2026, the FCC Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau (PSHSB) officially added consumer-grade routers produced in foreign countries and regions to its "Covered List." This regulatory action follows a National Security Determination identifying these devices as "unacceptable risks" to US national security and the safety of its citizens.

Referring to the NIST IR 8425A report, the FCC defines a consumer-grade router as a networking device that meets the following criteria:

• Primarily intended for residential use.
• Can be installed by the customer.
• The definition applies regardless of whether the device is personally owned by the customer or leased from an internet service provider (ISP).
• Its core purpose is to forward data packets, most commonly IP packets, between networked systems.

The inclusion on the Covered List prohibits new foreign-produced router models from receiving FCC equipment authorization, effectively banning their importation and sale in the US. The FCC has provided guidance on exemptions and conditional approvals as follows:

• Exemptions
  • Routers previously purchased by consumers may be used lawfully.
  • Retailers may continue to sell existing models that were authorized prior to the March 23, 2026, update.
  • FCC’s OET issued a limited waiver regarding Class I permissive changes for software and firmware updates. Routers authorized prior to March 23, 2026, may continue to receive security patches and updates until March 1, 2027
    
    
• Conditional approvals
  • Entities producing routers in foreign countries and regions may seek an individualized assessment from the DoW or DHS by submitting comprehensive data covering the following three areas to conditional-approvals@fcc.gov:
    • Corporate structure of the applicant entity
    • Manufacturing and supply chain disclosure
    • US manufacturing and on-shoring plan
  • If granted, this approval temporarily exempts the specific router or class of routers (e.g., routers produced by a specified entity) from the Covered List for a period of up to 18 months, permitting it to receive the FCC equipment authorization required for importation and sale in the US.

For detailed information, please search: FCC Updates Covered List to Include Foreign-Made Consumer Routers