FCC Foreign-Made Router Ban Could Signal Broader Industrial Policy Push

With the FCC excluding foreign-made routers and drones from new equipment authorizations, experts say the policy could extend to more consumer electronics (phones, laptops) and amount to a broader industrial policy to reshape US manufacturing. Critics warn it may raise prices, chill innovation, and take years to rebuild domestic production, even as the White House cites national security concerns. The FCC has granted limited exemptions (Netgear, Adtran) and set an 18-month timeline for new router models, plus a 2027 deadline to allow updates on currently approved foreign-made devices.