FCC alters the Wi-Fi router ban to include hotspots — pray it doesn't alter the deal any further

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently banned all foreign-made consumer-grade Wi-Fi routers. While there are a few exceptions, this effectively prevents any new foreign-made routers from being sold or imported into the US. The government agency has now expanded the ban to include Wi-Fi hotspots and LTE/5G customer premises equipment (CPE) devices.

Spotted by PC Mag, the FCC has updated its FAQ regarding the ban. Although they’re normally considered to exist in a separate category, the ban has been expanded to include “consumer-grade portable or mobile MiFi Wi-Fi or hotspot devices for residential use.” Additionally, the ban now also covers “LTE/5G CPE devices for residential use,” which are devices that use SIM cards to access cellular networks to provide home internet.

If you’re unfamiliar with LTE/5G CPE, T-Mobile uses the technology to deliver residential Wi-Fi. However, it appears that T-Mobile is unaffected by the ban for now. The carrier offered the following statement to PC Mag:

The FCC’s updated list of ‘covered devices’ does not affect any existing routers that were previously approved, so current customers have nothing to worry about and no action to take and their service will continue to operate normally with no equipment change necessary. T-Mobile will continue to work with the FCC and our vendors to ensure future routers are compliant with the FCC’s updated guidelines.

At the moment, the ban only affects new devices, so existing models are safe. The ban also only affects consumer-level products, so enterprise routers, hotspots, and CPE devices are safe as well. As for smartphones with hotspot features, it looks like you won’t have to worry about those either.

Earlier this month, the FCC granted conditional approvals for some foreign-made routers, with Netgear being among the first. The company’s Nighthawk and Orbi routers have received clearance until October 1, 2027. It’s possible that the FCC could offer temporary exemptions for some Wi-Fi hotspots down the road.