--- title: "TP-Link Ready to Invest $1B in US Manufacturing to Bypass Router Import Ban" description: "TP-Link has offered the FCC a $1 billion investment in US Wi-Fi 8 router manufacturing to gain an import ban exemption. A coalition of 21 state attorneys general opposes the move, citing reliance on Chinese components." date: 2026-10-18T09:51:36.871Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tp-link-1-billion-us-fcc-wifi-8-routers tags: [tplink, fcc, wifi-8, us-routers, national-security, vietnam-production, network-equipment] author: "Roman V." publisher: "XAB.info" --- # TP-Link Ready to Invest $1B in US Manufacturing to Bypass Router Import Ban ![Modern dark Wi-Fi router standing on a light desk next to a stack of books and a laptop.](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/18/tplink-1-mlrd-ssha-fcc-routery-wifi-8/tplink-1-mlrd-ssha-fcc-routery-wifi-8-1.webp) ## Key Points - TP-Link proposed investing $1 billion in US Wi-Fi 8 router production to secure an exemption from import bans - The company is requesting a conditional permit to release the Archer 8 Ultra and Deco 8 Ultra models - A coalition of 21 state attorneys general urged authorities to deny the permit, noting that 99.5% of components at the Vietnamese plant are imported from China - TP-Link rejects the accusations, citing data encryption and storage in AWS Virginia Chinese networking equipment manufacturer TP-Link has submitted a proposal to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) offering one billion dollars to organize the production of wireless routers on American soil. The company's goal is to obtain an exemption from current regulations that ban the import of new foreign-made routers into the US for national security reasons. In a four-page document addressed to the regulator, TP-Link outlines a strategy whereby the assembly of new Wi-Fi 8 standard routers could be established in the country as early as next year, while firmware and supporting software for these devices would be developed and maintained by American engineers. ### Why TP-Link Was Left Out The White House has already issued temporary operating permits to several major networking equipment suppliers, but TP-Link was not included in this list. According to information available to the editorial office, US authorities are continuing to investigate the company regarding its ties to China. Amid these restrictions, TP-Link has relocated its headquarters to Irvine, California, and its production facilities to Vietnam. Nevertheless, the company has no intention of giving up: it continues to challenge the government-imposed restrictions in the legal field and categorically rejects all allegations made against it. Due to the current ban, TP-Link was forced to exclude the US market from the pre-order program for its upcoming first Wi-Fi 8 router model. ### Two Models and a Conditional Permit In its appeal to the FCC, the company requests a conditional permit to release two specific upcoming models: the Archer 8 Ultra and the Deco 8 Ultra. Both devices are designed for the Wi-Fi 8 standard, which is positioned as the next step in the evolution of wireless networks. TP-Link emphasizes that under the proposed strategy, the assembly of these routers will be carried out directly in the US, while the software portion will be created by American specialists. Thus, the company is trying to demonstrate to the regulator that its market presence does not contradict national security interests, but rather enhances the country's technological sovereignty. ### 21 Attorneys General Oppose TP-Link's path to obtaining the permit is paved with serious obstacles. A coalition comprising the attorneys general of 21 states has already appealed to the US Department of Defense and the Department of Homeland Security urging them not to grant the company such a permit. In their appeal, coalition representatives cited trade data stating that 99.5% of the components used at TP-Link's plant in Vietnam are imported from China. According to their assessment, this creates security risks that have not been eliminated by relocating production, and granting the permit could threaten national communications infrastructure. ### TP-Link's Response: "Baseless Rhetoric" In a response document submitted to the FCC, TP-Link sharply rejected the coalition's arguments, calling them "baseless rhetoric." The company re-emphasized that its US customers' data is securely encrypted and stored within Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Virginia, and is handled in accordance with strict independent audit standards. TP-Link also warned that imposing unachievable requirements during the conditional permit issuance procedure could restrict fair competition in the market, harm consumers, and undermine the US position as a leader in deploying advanced wireless communication technologies. ### What's Next At present, the outcome of the procedure remains uncertain. The FCC's decision will depend on how convincing the regulator finds the proposal for billion-dollar investments in American manufacturing and how weighty the arguments of both the company itself and its opponents among the attorneys general prove to be. The stakes are high for TP-Link: without access to the US market, the company loses one of the largest consumers of networking equipment, while American users lose an alternative in the next-generation router market. ## Accounts differ ### The extent to which TP-Link's operations pose a threat to US national security - **Coalition of 21 US State Attorneys General:** 99.5% of components used at TP-Link's facility in Vietnam are imported from China, creating security risks that have not been eliminated by relocating production, and granting the permit could threaten national communications infrastructure ([3dnews.ru](https://3dnews.ru/1150076/tplink-postroit-za-1-milliard-zavod-v-ssha-chtobi-oboyti-zapret-na-import-routerov)) - **TP-Link:** The coalition's arguments are baseless rhetoric; US customer data is securely encrypted and stored in AWS Virginia in accordance with independent audit standards; imposing impossible requirements will restrict competition and harm consumers ([3dnews.ru](https://3dnews.ru/1150076/tplink-postroit-za-1-milliard-zavod-v-ssha-chtobi-oboyti-zapret-na-import-routerov)) *Where they agree:* Both sides acknowledge that the conditional permit issuance procedure is under review by FCC, and that TP-Link's production in Vietnam predominantly uses components imported from China ## Fact-Check & Sources - [TP-Link предложила вложить $1 млрд в производство в США ради допуска новых роутеров на рынок window-new](https://3dnews.ru/1150076/tplink-postroit-za-1-milliard-zavod-v-ssha-chtobi-oboyti-zapret-na-import-routerov) - Primary source. All key facts (investment amount, Archer 8 Ultra and Deco 8 Ultra models, 99.5% components from China, AWS Virginia, 21 states) are taken from the text. Source 2 is not relevant to the topic. - [WSJ: США предлагают выделить $5 млрд на восстановление энергетических объектов в Персидском заливе](https://www.newsru.co.il/press/21sep2026/wsj_0014.html) - Подтверждено по источнику newsru.co.il ## FAQ ### How much is TP-Link ready to invest in US manufacturing? The company has offered to invest one billion dollars in organizing wireless router production within the United States. ### Which TP-Link router models are requested for the US market? TP-Link is requesting a conditional permit to release two models: the Archer 8 Ultra and the Deco 8 Ultra, both designed for the Wi-Fi 8 standard. ### Why is the attorneys general coalition opposing the permit? Representatives from 21 states stated that 99.5% of the components used at TP-Link's Vietnamese facility are imported from China, creating unresolved national security risks. ### Where is the data of TP-Link's American customers stored? According to the company, data is encrypted and stored in Amazon Web Services infrastructure in Virginia, complying with independent audit standards.