TP-Link partners with Key Tronic to build routers in the U.S

TP-Link has signed a letter of intent with Key Tronic Corporation to assemble Wi-Fi 8 routers at a facility in Corinth, Mississippi, as early as next year. This move comes in response to a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ban on new routers manufactured outside the United States.

While the partnership aims to establish domestic manufacturing for secure connectivity solutions, uncertainty remains regarding whether this will fully bypass the ban. TP-Link officials noted that many essential components must still be sourced from overseas, as domestic alternatives are often unavailable. The FCC has not provided specific guidelines on the “content threshold” required to satisfy the ban, leaving it unclear how much domestic assembly and component sourcing is necessary to qualify as American-made.

The ban was driven by concerns from U.S. officials regarding potential links between the Shenzhen-based TP-Link and the Chinese government, specifically the risk that Chinese intelligence could mandate compliance for malicious software updates.