FCC says ban on foreign-made routers includes portable Wi-Fi hotspots

This week, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) made it clear that its recent ban on foreign-manufactured consumer routers now extends to portable Wi-Fi hotspot devices. The agency introduced a new section in its FAQ titled, "Is my device a consumer-grade router under the National Security Determination?" This section specifies that the ban encompasses consumer-grade portable or mobile MiFi Wi-Fi devices intended for residential use. However, it's important to note that mobile phones featuring hotspot capabilities are not included in this restriction. Consequently, manufacturers of consumer hotspot devices will need to secure a government exemption to import and market any future models that have not previously received FCC approval. Devices that have already been authorized for sale in the U.S. can still be imported and sold without the need for a special exemption. The FCC has defined routers in a broad manner, allowing it considerable leeway in determining which types of consumer networking devices fall under the ban. When the agency initially announced the prohibition last month, it defined routers as "consumer-grade networking devices primarily intended for residential use that can be installed by customers," which are capable of forwarding data packets, particularly Internet Protocol (IP) packets, between networked systems. While an earlier version of the FAQ indicated that cellphones with hotspot features were exempt from the ban, it did not clarify that portable hotspot devices would also be affected. Beyond just hotspot devices, the updated FAQ clarifies that the router ban applies to various categories, including consumer or small to medium-sized business routers sold or rented at retail locations, LTE/5G customer premises equipment (CPE) for residential use, and residential routers that can be installed by professionals or Internet Service Providers (ISPs).