FCC ban prevents Davolink Minions Wi-Fi 6E routers from future US sales

FCC Ban on Foreign Routers

Since March, the FCC has prohibited the sale of new foreign-made network routers in the US unless the manufacturer holds a specific exemption. This regulation applies to all overseas consumer routers, including those from Davolink, a South Korean networking company.

Companies like ASUS, Eero, and Netgear possess the necessary exemptions, but Davolink does not. This means that while their current Minions-shaped Wi-Fi 6E routers can still be sold, future versions, such as a Wi-Fi 7 Minion router, will not be authorized for sale in the United States.

Davolink's Minions Routers

Davolink introduced its Minions-shaped routers, Kevin (DVW-632) and Bob (DVW-642), at CES in January 2023, following an exclusive design agreement with Universal. Kevin is a tri-band Wi-Fi 6E router with an AXE5400 rating, featuring a 2.5 Gbps WAN port and one gigabit LAN port. Bob is a dual-band Wi-Fi 6 router with a gigabit WAN port.

The Kevin router gained viral attention last month after an X post highlighted its performance. Davolink's primary business involves supplying gateways and access points to major South Korean carriers like SK Broadband, KT, and LG Uplus.

Impact on Availability and Updates

The FCC ban directly affects the future availability of Davolink's products in the US market. Although existing Minions routers are legal to sell, the lack of an exemption means no new models will be introduced. Firmware updates for the current Minions routers are guaranteed only through the end of 2028.

This situation highlights how regulatory changes can impact the distribution of consumer electronics, particularly for smaller international manufacturers without established US authorization processes.