(Source: Piotr Adamowicz/Alamy Stock Photo)

As some router makers and industry organizations cut a path through the FCC's ban on foreign-made consumer routers, others remain stuck in the regulatory weeds.

In the latest round of relief from the ban, the NCTA – The Internet & Television Association – secured its second expedited waiver while Vantiva obtained conditional approval for a fiber router that's tailored for AT&T. Meanwhile, there's been no public action on a pending approval request submitted by TP-Link.

Expedited waivers are generally focused on routers that have previously received approval by the FCC, but must undergo a fresh review due to minor hardware changes (for new components, including memory, and changeouts of components that are reaching end-of-life). Conditional approvals generally apply to new router products, including Wi-Fi extenders, that haven't yet gone through the FCC's certification process.

On November 5, the FCC granted NCTA's request for a waiver to make what it believes are necessary Class I and Class II permissive hardware changes to previously authorized consumer-grade routers. Generally, Class I changes include minor modifications that don't change the RF characteristics of a router, and Class II includes more substantive modifications that may alter RF performance or device emissions.

NCTA filed this request in September as its members and router partners sought to make changes to previously approved devices that are now on the FCC's "Covered List," which includes products deemed to pose unacceptable risk to US national security. Beyond national security, the ban also aims to nudge router makers to shift some manufacturing to the US.

NCTA reasoned that router changes are necessary as its members (which include major cable operators such as Comcast and Spectrum) grapple with changeouts of components that are reaching end-of-life or as suppliers try to use different types of memory or source them from new partners in the face of ongoing supply chain constraints. NCTA told the FCC that any changes would not involve substituting a US-produced component with a foreign-made component.

The FCC grant to the NCTA's waiver request is good until Nov. 5, 2027, and generally applies to NCTA members and their suppliers.

In June, the FCC's Office of Engineering and Technology approved a separate and more narrowly focused expedited waiver sought by the NCTA that focused on relatively small changes to routers, including alterations to memory modules and other types of substitute "substrate materials." The FCC has previously approved similar expedited waivers sought by AT&T and Sercomm.

Vantiva pitched plan to move to software-based geolocation

Vantiva, a supplier of broadband and video customer premises equipment (CPE) for multiple industries, secured a waiver to make Class I and Class II hardware changes to the BGW620, a previously-approved consumer-grade fiber router for AT&T. AT&T, which offers that router under the "All-Fi Hub" brand, was granted a one-year, expedited waiver for router hardware on May 15.

Vantiva's desired changes for the BGW620 include the removal of the device's barometer and global navigation satellite system circuitry and related components, holding that it's been unable to re-source those elements in the face of global supply chain shortages. While removing those components would disable the BGW620's hardware-based positioning solution, Vantiva said the geolocation positioning functionality can be replicated via a software-based option. Vantiva's waiver for the BGW620 is good through Nov. 9, 2027.

Getting clearance for those changes should help AT&T to maintain its pace of fiber subscriber growth. AT&T added 442,000 fiber connections in Q3 (including adds originating from Lumen fiber markets that AT&T acquired in January), up from 288,000 a year earlier, for a total of 13.31 million.

TP-Link still in a holding pattern

In contrast, TP-Link's attempt to gain conditional approval for a pair of Wi-Fi routers is in a holding pattern amid resistance from the US government and a handful of individual states for its purported ties to China.

TP-Link, a company founded in China that is now headquartered in Irvine, California, claims the allegations are "baseless."

As a carrot to regulators reviewing its application, TP-Link has pledged to make a nearly $1 billion investment in US-based R&D and manufacturing capabilities. TP-Link currently manufactures all products it sells in the US in Vietnam.

Who's doing what?

Based on FCC data and Light Reading research, here's a roundup of companies and organizations that have been granted or are seeking conditional approvals and/or expedited waivers, and the current status of those requests:

• ACA Connects/NTCA: Expedited waiver to joint submission granted. Terminates September 29, 2027.

• Actiontec Electronics: Expedited waiver requested. Awaiting approval.

• Adtran: Conditional approval granted for Service Delivery Gateway-class routers. Terminates October 1, 2027.

• Alpha Networks: Conditional approval granted for 1700 and 2700 series of routers. Terminates November 22, 2027.

• Alpha Networks: Conditional approval granted for the XGSPON ONT 1000 series router. Terminates April 24, 2028.

• Arcadyan Technology: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates June 26, 2027.

• Arcadyan Technology: Conditional approval granted for several CPE for T-Mobile, AT&T and Verizon. Terminates December 12, 2027.

• Askey Computer Corp.: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates September 16, 2027.

• Askey Computer Corp.: Conditional approval for the ASK-NCM1100, ASK-NCM1100E, ASK-NMC300 and ASK-NCQ8000 (Wi-Fi 8 gateways). Terminates February 3, 2028

• Asustek Computer: Conditional approval for multiple router models, repeaters and access points (RT Router Series, ROG GT Series, ROG Strix GS Series, TUF Gaming Series, ExpertWiFi Series, ZenWiFi Mesh Series, 5G MiFi Series). Terminates March 6, 2028.

• Asustek Computer: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates October 26, 2027.

• AT&T: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates May 15, 2027.

• Calix: Conditional approval granted for a handful of broadband routers, including GigaSpire-class routers (7u6m.2, 7u4txg, 7u4, 7u6.2) and the GigaPro 7p6. All terminate November 22, 2027.

• Comtrend: Conditional approval granted for several wireless router models (GRG-4366u, VG-8043u, PBL-6201, and NL-3131). Terminates March 6, 2028.

• CTIA: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates September 23, 2027.

• eero/Amazon: Conditional approval granted for several eero devices and Amazon Leo routers. Terminates October 31, 2027.

• Gemtek: Conditional approval granted for the WRTQ-411BE and WNRFQQ-113BE routers. Terminates January 3, 2028.

• Gryphon Online Safety: Conditional approval granted for the Parental Control Wi-Fi router. Terminates January 10, 2028.

• Hitron: Conditional approval granted for a group of DOCSIS 4.0, DOCSIS 3.1 and FWA devices, including gateways, routers and hotspots.

• Humax Networks: HNR2306 and HNRM30 Wi-Fi 7 routers. Terminates January 17, 2028.

• Micro-Star International: Conditional approval granted to its Radix series GRBE94 and GRBE36 routers. Terminates April 17, 2028

• Miri Technologies: Conditional approval granted for the Miri X10 Travel Router. Terminates December 12, 2027.

• NCTA: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates June 9, 2027.

• NCTA: Second expedited waiver granted for previously authorized consumer routers that require new or substitute components and materials. Terminates November 5, 2027.

• Netgear: Conditional approval granted for several "Nighthawk" mesh, mobile and standalone routers. Terminates October 1, 2027.

• Nokia: Conditional approval granted for multiple wireless routers and "Beacon" routers. Terminates October 31, 2027.

• Sagemcom: Conditional approval granted for a handful of FAST-branded routers (FAST3994, FAST3897, FAST5698, FAST5699 and FAST5999), including a new DOCSIS 4.0 device. Terminates December 5, 2027.

• Sercomm: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates June 9, 2027.

• Sercomm: Conditional approval granted for the Air4992 Wi-Fi 7 router. Terminates January 10, 2028.

• Sercomm: Conditional approval granted for the XF10 10GEPON ONU/Wi-Fi 7 Tri-Band 4×4×4 Home Gateway.

• SpaceX: Starlink routers (models not specified). Terminates February 1, 2028.

• TP-Link Systems: Filed for conditional approval for a pair of Wi-Fi 8 routers, along with a pledge to invest nearly $1 billion in US-based R&D and manufacturing capabilities.

• USTelecom: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates September 23, 2027.

• Vantiva: Conditional approval granted for the CWA438TX, DOCSIS 3.1+ modem with VoIP support. Terminates January 8, 2028.

• Vantiva: Filed petition for expedited waiver on July 29, 2026. Petition is pending.

• Vantiva: Granted a waiver for the BGW620 fiber gateway for deployment by AT&T. Terminates November 9, 2027.

• Verizon: Expedited waiver granted. Terminates June 26, 2027.

• Vivid-Hosting: Conditional approval granted for the company's entire product class of routers including its VH-109 (V1) and VH-109 (V2) robot radio routers. Terminates March 28, 2028.

• WNC: Expedited waiver granted in support of routers requiring new components, such as memory, that are reaching end-of-life or need to be swapped. Terminates September 16, 2027.

• WNC: Conditional approval granted for the LVR5A, LVM9 and LV85C Wi-Fi router models. Terminates February 21, 2028

• WNC: Filed an additional petition for an expedited waiver for further permission amid supply constraints associated with current cellular modules used in WNC routers. WNC says it needs to source that component from different suppliers. Petition is pending.

• Zyxel Communications: Conditional approval granted for the EE4210-00, EE6610-00, and 5GNR (NR5331) routers. Terminates February 3, 2028.