The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States has given AT&T a one-year waiver to address the ban on foreign-made routers, allowing the telecom giant to make necessary hardware changes to approved devices. This decision comes after the FCC imposed a ban on foreign Wi-Fi routers earlier this year, restricting companies from making permissive changes beyond security patches. The waiver permits AT&T's suppliers to modify substrate materials and memory modules in routers on the Covered List.

AT&T's waiver request was partially granted by the FCC based on supply-chain shortages and the need to maintain broadband availability for customers. The waiver, valid until May 15, 2027, allows for specific hardware changes that do not enhance performance, create new models, or replace U.S.-produced components with foreign ones. The FCC emphasized that the waiver does not compromise national security objectives and public safety measures established by the ban.

In response to the waiver, AT&T expressed appreciation for the FCC's decision, highlighting the importance of ensuring continuous broadband services for its customers. The company's suppliers are expected to implement the approved hardware changes in compliance with FCC regulations. The waiver aims to prevent disruptions in broadband services while upholding the integrity of the ban on "China routers" as mandated by the Commission.

The FCC's order, issued on March 23, outlined the restrictions on foreign-made routers and the timeline for compliance by telecom companies. While security patches for approved models are permitted until March 1, 2027, permissive changes to Covered Routers were prohibited, including critical software and firmware updates. The FCC's waivers extended the deadline for software and firmware changes to January 1, 2029, ensuring ongoing protection for U.S. consumers.