TP-Link plans US router assembly after import ban

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 21:44 · Archive

TP-Link will assemble routers in Mississippi starting early 2027 following a US ban on foreign-made routers.

TP-Link has announced plans to assemble routers in the US following a March ban by the Federal Communications Commission on importing consumer routers made outside the country. The company signed a letter of intent with manufacturer Key Tronic to establish assembly at a facility in Corinth, Mississippi, with production expected to begin as early as early 2027.

Wi-Fi 8 routers are expected to be among the first products assembled domestically. TP-Link said the agreement is part of its effort to accelerate US investment in high-tech manufacturing and job creation. However, the company will still need to source components from outside the US, as TP-Link's corporate affairs officer Steve Kovsky told PC Mag that many components are not available from domestic sources.

The FCC designated all consumer routers made outside the US as a security risk and banned new imports, though retailers were permitted to sell existing stock. The agency said companies could apply for waivers only if they planned to move manufacturing to the US. Several companies have received waivers, but TP-Link is not currently among them. Ars Technica reports that TP-Link's history as a Chinese company, despite relocating its headquarters to California in October 2024, is making it difficult to obtain FCC clearance.

How it is being reported

• TP-Link tries to appease Trump admin with pledge to assemble routers in USTP-Link can't sell latest routers in US despite rivals getting FCC approvals.Ars Technica · 20 Oct, 20:25
• TP-Link moves to assemble routers in the US following an import banRouters could start rolling off a Missouri production line as soon as early 2027.Engadget · 19 Oct, 16:31

In this story: TP-Link · Key Tronic · Mississippi · Federal Communications Commission · Corinth

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