TP-Link Agrees to Pay FCC Fine for W-Fi Router Violations
TP-Link, which sells Wi-Fi routers, agreed to pay $200,000 and to stop marketing routers that don’t fully comply with FCC power level rules, the agency said Monday. The consent decree alleges TP-Link violated Section 15.15(b) of the FCC rules by…
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selling routers that can operate at power levels that exceed their approved parameters on some restricted Wi-Fi channels. “TP-Link cooperated with the Bureau’s investigation and, as part of the consent decree, has agreed to pay a $200,000 fine and implement a compliance program to ensure future compliance with the Commission’s rules and regulations,” the FCC said in a news release. “TP-Link will institute processes to ensure that products imported or marketed in the U.S. are in compliance with the FCC’s rules, remove any noncompliant products from the U.S. marketplace and offer an updated user-downloadable version of software on its website so that affected users can bring their Wi-Fi router into compliance.” The FCC’s approach struck a careful balance, said Travis LeBlanc, chief of the Enforcement Bureau. “While manufacturers of Wi-Fi routers must ensure reasonable safeguards to protect radio parameters, users are otherwise free to customize their routers and we support TP-Link’s commitment to work with the open-source community and Wi-Fi chipset manufacturers to enable third-party firmware on TP-Link routers.” TP-Link didn't comment.