Asus clears FCC hurdle for Wi-Fi 8 rollout as TP-Link faces continued regulatory standoff
The FCC has granted conditional approval to Asus for its next-generation Wi-Fi 8 routers, positioning the Taiwanese manufacturer to compete in the emerging standard while TP-Link remains sidelined by regulatory concerns.
Asus has secured conditional approval from the FCC to sell its upcoming Wi-Fi 8 routers in the United States, marking a significant regulatory win for the Taiwanese networking equipment maker. The company plans to introduce a full lineup of Wi-Fi 8 products throughout the coming year, capitalizing on the transition from Wi-Fi 7 to the newer standard, which is expected to deliver substantial gains in reliability and user experience across connected devices.
The company has already demonstrated its Wi-Fi 8 ambitions through a concept ROG NeoCore Wi-Fi 8 router unveiled at CES earlier this year. In June, Asus announced the ROG Rapture GT-BN98 Pro, its first consumer-facing Wi-Fi 8 router, which the company claims will deliver twice the real-world throughput of its existing Wi-Fi 7 lineup.
Asus now joins Netgear and Amazon's Eero/Leo brands on the FCC's conditional approval roster. The approval comes as TP-Link, which commands the largest share of the U.S. wireless router market, continues to face regulatory obstacles. Despite TP-Link Systems Inc. being based in California, the U.S. government has withheld approval amid concerns about alleged Chinese connections. The company has not announced a U.S. launch timeline for its Wi-Fi 8 "Ultra" routers as a result.