TP-Link taps Keytronic to bring broadband router assembly to the US

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With its bid to get an exemption from the FCC's broadband router ban still in limbo, TP-Link revealed it has signed a letter of intent with Keytronic to set up router assembly capabilities in the US.

TP-Link, which currently sources many router components outside the US, said the letter of intent would make Spokane Valley, Washington-based Keytronic its "primary domestic manufacturing partner."

Wi-Fi 8 products are expected to be among the first to roll off of a production line at Keytronic's 305,000-square-foot facility in Corinth, Mississippi. Domestic assembly of those products could start as early as 2027, pending US regulatory approval, according to TP-Link.

$1 billion investment in US R&D, manufacturing

TP-Link's letter of intent with Keytronic comes after TP-Link revealed in an October 13 filing with the FCC that its application to obtain conditional approval for a pair of Wi-Fi 8 routers includes a pledge to make a nearly $1 billion investment in US-based R&D and manufacturing capabilities. As part of that onshoring plan, TP-Link noted it is preparing to start assembling the new Wi-Fi 8 routers in the US sometime in 2027.

Related:TP-Link pledges $1B US investment amid mounting government resistance

TP-Link is part of a large and growing list of consumer broadband router companies that are seeking special dispensation from the FCC's ban on new, foreign-made consumer routers. The ban, which took effect in March, aims to address security concerns while also encouraging suppliers to bring manufacturing to the US. The FCC ban does not apply to enterprise-grade routers.

Suppliers of broadband routers, including Wi-Fi access points and extenders and standalone cable modems, have typically sought conditional approval for new router products or expedited waivers for previously-approved router models that require minor changes to components, including memory (see this story for an updated list of router suppliers that have obtained conditional approvals or expedited waivers, or are still awaiting results).

The FCC has been asked for comment on TP-Link's latest commitment to bring a degree of router assembly stateside.

"This LOI with Keytronic demonstrates our firm commitment to expanding domestic advanced manufacturing, and establishing America as our base for delivering secure, reliable connectivity solutions to households and businesses around the world," said TP-Link CEO Jeffrey Chao in a statement. Chao is seeking to become a US citizen, according to Steve Kovsky, TP-Link's corporate affairs officer, as reported by PCMag.

State-led lawsuits

TP-Link's intent to invest in US-based assembly and manufacturing comes as the router maker faces a handful of state-led lawsuits and pushback from nearly two dozen state attorneys general regarding concerns about security in TP-Link products and the company's purported links to China.

Related:NCTA seeks second exemption from FCC's router ban

As of this writing, five states – Florida, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska and Texas – have filed suits against the router maker over allegations that it misled consumers about security vulnerabilities in its products, including alleged shortcomings of its built-in "HomeShield" service.

According to TP-Link, the company manufactures all of the products it sells in the US in Vietnam. But that claim is being challenged. The Florida suit, for example, argues that TP-Link's claims are overstated, pointing to an April 2025 Bloomberg story, which notes that "TP-Link confirmed that, aside from components bought in Vietnam that account for 0.5 percent of the total value of inputs to the plant there, all other components are imported from China."

TP-Link has argued that it's an "independent, US company that is not owned or controlled by any foreign government" and that it complies with US privacy and data protection laws.

TP-Link, which was founded in 1996 in Shenzhen, China, later ran dual headquarters in Singapore and Irvine, California. It moved its global headquarters to California in 2024.

Related:FCC disrupts home broadband with sweeping foreign router ban

Keytronic exits China

Keytronic, TP-Link's pending US manufacturing partner, runs design, sourcing and manufacturing in the US, Mexico and Vietnam.

In its fiscal Q4 2026 earnings presentation (PDF download), Keytronic noted that it had exited manufacturing operations in China and transferred several programs to Vietnam. However, the company said it would continue to operate in China with a "small team focused on sourcing."

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