FCC Extends Foreign Router Update Support to 2029
▼ Summary
– The FCC extended the deadline for foreign-made routers to receive software and firmware updates from March 1, 2027, to January 1, 2029, and expanded the waiver to cover more update types.
– The FCC banned new foreign-made consumer-grade routers from US approval in March, citing national security, but previously approved devices can still be sold.
– The Trump administration is granting exemptions to specific hardware makers deemed safe, such as Netgear and Amazon-owned Eero.
– The software update cutoff is a separate rule affecting previously approved routers, requiring repeated extensions to avoid a total update ban.
– The 2029 cutoff also applies to foreign-made drones, both of which were added to the FCC’s “Covered List” for posing national security risks.
The Federal Communications Commission is easing its stance on restrictive router regulations, extending the timeline for foreign-made routers to receive software and firmware updates through at least January 1, 2029. The agency also broadened the waiver to include a wider range of software updates.
Originally, the FCC mandated that routers currently available for sale or already in consumers’ hands could only receive security patches and other updates until March 1, 2027. However, in a decision announced Friday, the commission granted an extension, allowing these devices to stay updated until January 1, 2029, with the possibility of making the waiver permanent in the future.
This software-update deadline is part of a comprehensive set of rules introduced by the FCC in March. Citing national security concerns, the agency banned new hardware and imposed restrictions on software updates for routers authorized before the ban took effect. Specifically, the FCC stated it would stop approving consumer-grade routers manufactured outside the United States, a move that impacts nearly every router maker, with the possible exception of Starlink. The Trump administration has been issuing exemptions to hardware manufacturers deemed sufficiently secure, with companies like Netgear and Amazon-owned Eero already receiving such approvals.
The hardware ban applies only to new devices, meaning all routers previously approved for sale in the US can still be imported and sold without special exemptions. However, previously approved routers faced a separate rule prohibiting software and firmware updates. The FCC can prevent this by repeatedly extending the cutoff date after which no updates can be installed.
The new 2029 deadline announced Friday covers both foreign-made routers and foreign-made drones, which have been added to the Covered List. According to the FCC, devices on this list are considered to pose an unacceptable risk to U. S. national security or the safety of U. S. persons.
(Source: Ars Technica)
