FCC Bans Foreign Routers, Boosts American Production

0:00It's March 24th. Global news today starts now. AI-powered and worldwide. I'm Cory with the story. The Federal Communications Commission has banned all new consumer-grade internet routers made outside the United States over serious national security, risks. This update puts routers on the same restricted list as foreign drones, targeting only fresh models while letting people keep using ones they already, own. Delicious hackers have long exploited weak spots in these foreign routers to hit American homes, spy on networks, and still company secrets. Recent attacks like Volt, Flaks, and Salt Typhoon targeted key infrastructure with investigations pointing to actors tied to the Chinese government. The move hits hard since nearly all popular routers come from places like China or Taiwan, even from American brands such as Netgear. Best sellers like TPLink on Amazon now face big hurdles, sparking worries about higher prices and fewer choices for everyday users.

1:00Foreign makers must now seek special FCC approval to sell here, sharing details on their investors and outlining plans to shift production to the United States. A few models could get exceptions if clear by the defense or homeland security departments, though none have been listed yet. Starlink routers from Elon Musk's SpaceX stand out as one rare option fully made in Texas. As companies scramble to comply, this could push more home internet gear back to American factories for safer connections.