FCC Gives Starlink Temporary Pass on Foreign-Made Wi-Fi Router Ban

SpaceX has secured a temporary pass from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to keep importing foreign-made Wi-Fi routers for its Starlink satellite internet service.

The 18-month exemption allows the company to bypass new rules from the White House that limit foreign-made routers over cybersecurity concerns. The temporary relief runs until February 1, 2028, giving SpaceX extra time to shift its hardware production lines over to American soil, reports PC Mag.

The ban applies strictly to new product designs, while existing hardware remains unaffected. That means current models like the Starlink Router 3 and the compact Router Mini, which are primarily built in Vietnam and Taiwan to hold down assembly costs, can stay on store shelves without interruption. However, any next-generation router model would require domestic manufacturing unless granted approval by regulators.

SpaceX is far from the only tech brand leaning on overseas supply chains. Major networking competitors like Netgear and Amazon’s eero also received similar extensions as companies grapple with the challenges of moving factory operations back to North America.

The timing suggests SpaceX is readying a fresh router design to match its hardware pipeline. The company recently rolled out a lighter, more efficient V5 dish and appears to be preparing a revised Mini 2 model. While SpaceX already runs a massive facility in Bastrop, Texas capable of building tens of thousands of dishes every week, localizing router assembly will take more time and capital.

For current subscribers, nothing changes right away. You can still use your existing setup or plug in a third-party router if you want broader home coverage. But as regulatory rules tighten across the board, hardware costs across the entire industry could start creeping upward.