AT&T warns of router shortages, FCC responds with limited one-year waiver

Back in March, the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) implemented a ban on all foreign-made routers, ruling that products with ties to adversarial governments pose “unacceptable risks” to US infrastructure and citizens. While the ban is designed to prevent new foreign-made models from entering the country, previously approved hardware is supposed to remain unaffected. Despite that, it looks like the ongoing RAM shortage is causing some unforeseen complications, at least for AT&T. However, the ISP will now have a year to work everything out.

AT&T calls on the FCC to allow changes to previously certified harware

Last week, AT&T submitted a filing to the FCC, alerting the regulatory body to an issue that’s not covered by current waivers. The issue has to do with the current global shortage of materials, which is requiring vendors to swap out parts. In the filing, AT&T states:

Two urgent supply chain issues have arisen that necessitate permissive hardware changes not covered by existing waivers and require expedited action by OET [FCC Office of Engineering and Technology]: global shortages in necessary substrate material and memory modules.

AT&T points out that one manufacturer can no longer source a chipset it used to produce a previously certified router. The company claims that “the particular type of substrate used in the routers’ chipset is running out.” As a result, they need to find a substitute new substrate material to continue production. Meanwhile, the RAM shortage has been its own headache, requiring suppliers to “adapt and find new sources of memory components.”

AT&T argues that without a waiver to make limited changes, its approved routers could disappear from production lines. If this were to happen, it could lead to shortages of customer premises equipment, like residential gateways.

FCC grants AT&T a waiver to make limited changes

The FCC has now granted AT&T a one-year waiver that allows it to perform limited hardware modifications on its previously certified routers. AT&T will now be allowed to make changes to substitute substrate materials and memory modules in its residential gateways. However, under this waiver, the changes can not improve device performance, alter core functionality, be used to market the product, or swap out a US-made part for a non-US-made part.

According to the document, the waiver will remain effective until May 2027.