FCC Extends Router Update Waiver to 2029

The FCC introduced a national-security rule in March that blocks approval of new consumer-grade routers made outside the United States. Under that rule, routers already on the market can still be sold, but they are barred from receiving software and firmware updates after a set cutoff date. The cutoff was originally March 1, 2027, but the FCC has now pushed it forward to give manufacturers more time to patch vulnerabilities and add features.

On Friday the FCC announced the waiver extension, setting the new deadline for updates to January 1, 2029 and noting that the waiver could become permanent. The same action widened the waiver's scope to include additional categories of software updates, such as performance enhancements and new protocol support, not just security patches. Earlier in March the FCC said it would stop approving new consumer-grade routers manufactured abroad, a move that affects virtually every router maker except possibly Starlink, which designs its hardware domestically.

For consumers, the extension means that existing foreign-made routers will continue to receive updates that keep them secure and functional for several more years, reducing the need to replace hardware prematurely. For manufacturers, the broader waiver eases compliance pressure while the ban on new foreign models remains in place, encouraging them to seek exemptions or shift production domestically. The FCC's decision reflects a balancing act between national-security concerns and the practical need to keep network equipment up to date.

Observers will monitor whether the FCC moves to make the waiver permanent, how many manufacturers receive exemptions for new foreign-made routers, and any legal or industry challenges to the broader equipment ban.