In March, the Federal Communications Commission announced that it had updated its “Covered List” to include all consumer-grade routers that are made in foreign countries, citing national security risks for networking devices manufactured outside the U.S. That would effectively ban any new router from being imported into the country, though the agency did share that manufacturers could apply for “conditional approval” for its products.
Today, NETGEAR sent a letter to customers stating that it was the “first retail consumer router company” to achieve conditional approval as a trusted brand from the FCC.
“As a U.S.-founded and headquartered company, NETGEAR is aligned with the vision for a more secure digital future for our customers,” CJ Prober, NETGEAR CEO, said in the letter. “For the last thirty years, we have been, and continue to be, committed to leading the consumer router category for the United States and setting the bar for quality, performance, innovation, and security.”
In an FAQ page related to the new FCC security guidelines, the brand stated that they currently manufacture their consumer router products in Indonesia, Vietnam, and Thailand—nations considered allies by the U.S. Government. “As a precaution, we no longer procure internet-connected components from manufacturers in China, or entities owned or controlled by China (or any other country deemed to be a foreign adversary),” NETGEAR states.
According to the Conditional Approvals section of the FCC’s Covered List documentation, NETGEAR currently is still the only retail consumer brand listed under the routers section. Adtran Inc.’s Service Delivery Gateway class routers are also listed. Both brands have conditional approval through October 1, 2027.
