US Government Just Walked Back Ban On Chinese Routers And Drones (But There's A Catch)

In recent months, a lot's happened regarding banned electronics and networking equipment like routers. Back in March, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission banned consumer-grade routers made in foreign countries by many brands. Some companies weren't effected. For example, Netgear received an exemption from the FCC, and while newly imported routers aren't covered, TP-Link routers are still considered safe to use — and will still receive software updates for a time. Unfortunately, most foreign routers were given an expiration date.

What makes things confusing is that previously approved versions of products are still allowed to be imported and sold, including foreign-made drones. The FCC just announced it's walking back some of its proposed guidelines, extending the window that allows products sold in the U.S. to receive critical updates. The waivers will now expire at the end of 2028, and are valid until January 1, 2029. This applies to both foreign-made consumer routers and Chinese drones.

The catch, of course, is that you still can't buy newly imported devices that were banned as part of the original change. You'll merely be able to update and continue using devices that might've been previously cut off due to their originally planned March 1, 2027 expiration.

To clarify, this extension allows router and device manufacturers to release software and firmware updates "to ensure the continued functionality of the devices, such as those that patch vulnerabilities and facilitate compatibility with different operating systems," per the FCC. The original bans would have only allowed updates until March 2027, potentially leaving many networking systems and U.S. homes vulnerable. This update doesn't appear to change any of the potential bans or rework the products that were added to the Covered List when the FCC moved to ban major foreign drone brands like DJI, alongside some popular network brands.

Reuters reports that the FCC is also considering banning the importation of additional Chinese equipment, including devices from Chinese telecom operators, and video surveillance tech from brands such as Huawei, ZTE, Hytera, Dahua, and Hikvision, citing national security risks. As with previous bans, any future changes wouldn't be retroactive, meaning the FCC won't ban previously approved devices.

Regarding the new expiration, after January 2029, a new extension would be necessary from the government to continue allowing software updates and support for any effected devices owned by U.S. customers. Otherwise, anyone effected would need to purchase new equipment, or risk security and support issues.