The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Asus a conditional approval on September 9, allowing the company to import foreign-manufactured wireless networking equipment into the US. This authorization covers several product lines, including ROG GT, ROG Strix GS, TUF Gaming, ExpertWiFi, ZenWiFi Mesh, and 5G MiFi series, and remains valid until March 6, 2028.
This regulatory clearance removes obstacles for the launch of new Asus products, including the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 series, which is the company's first Wi-Fi 8 router. The device is already available in Canada, with a global rollout scheduled for October. Asus claims the new hardware offers twice the throughput of current Wi-Fi 7 devices.
The FCC had previously placed all foreign-produced consumer routers on a restricted list in March, requiring conditional approval from the Department of Defense or the Department of Homeland Security for new models. Other companies that have secured similar approvals include Netgear, Amazon Eero, SpaceX Starlink, Nokia, Zyxel, and Askey Computer.
Meanwhile, TP-Link, which holds approximately 20% of the US wireless router market, has yet to receive approval. The company is currently seeking authorization, arguing that its overseas operations are managed by a California-based entity. The uncertainty affects the planned launch of its Archer 8 Ultra and Deco 8 Ultra models, which were initially scheduled for pre-sale on September 30.
