Key facts
- Cable lobby group NCTA is seeking a waiver from the FCC's ban on foreign routers.
- The FCC added all consumer-grade routers made partly outside the US to its Covered List in March.
- The ban restricts devices deemed to pose a national security risk.
- NCTA's petition requests an expedited waiver to allow substitution of substrate materials and memory modules in certified routers.
The NCTA, the primary lobbying group for the cable industry, has petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for an expedited waiver regarding the ban on foreign-made routers. This ban, implemented in March, added all consumer-grade routers manufactured partly outside the U.S. to the Covered List, restricting devices considered a national security risk. The NCTA argues that without the ability to substitute components like substrate materials and memory modules in already certified routers, cable Internet service providers could face significant disruption, potentially leading to chaos for home broadband users. The association's petition specifically requests permission for its members' suppliers to make these substitutions, provided the changes comply with existing FCC regulations.