Trump grants Starlink exemption from FCC ban on foreign-made routers
What's the story
The Donald Trump administration has exempted SpaceX's Starlink routers from a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ban on foreign-made routers. The exemption is valid until February 1, 2028. The decision comes after the Department of War approved the use of these devices, which have now been granted an exemption from the FCC's Covered List requirement. This list includes consumer-grade routers that are at least partially made outside the US and pose an unacceptable risk to national security.
Manufacturing details
Some Starlink routers are made in the US
While most routers are manufactured outside the US or have foreign-made components, some of SpaceX's products are made in Texas and carry "Made in the USA" labels.
However, not all Starlink routers are US-made; some are produced in Vietnam.
This puts SpaceX in a unique position as it could be the only major router manufacturer to get an exemption from the FCC's broad ban.
Approval procedure
Impact of FCC's router ban
The FCC's ban doesn't impact routers approved for sale before the rule change. However, companies need exemptions to get future router models approved.
As per an FCC announcement in March, router manufacturers can seek a determination from the Department of War or Department of Homeland Security that their devices don't pose unacceptable risks to national security.
Exemption recipients
Other companies granted router exemption
Other companies such as Netgear and Amazon have also been granted exemptions under this process.
TP-Link, a company founded in China but now headquartered in the US, is still waiting for its exemption.
The complete list of conditional approvals can be found on the FCC's official website.