It’s not just GPUs being affected by the chip shortage, now routers could face delays *Updated*
It’s not just GPUs being affected by the chip shortage, now routers could face delays *Updated*
*Updated: 15 April 2021 06:00 with comments from D-Link*
Updated: 16 April 2021 13:00 with comments from Linksys
Reports from Bloomberg say that the global shortage of chipsets is now affecting routers with carriers are feeling the shortage the most, with some reportedly seeing delays of more than a year which is more than double previous delays.
We wrote recently about how the global chip shortage affected deals for graphics cards. But it seems like they’re not the only thing being affected.
Fortunately, it seems so far that those of us in Singapore are fine for now.
According to ASUS, there is a definite undersupply of routers right now. However, a company spokesperson said that they had foreseen this and have been steadily bringing in more stocks and new SKUs over the last year (especially since the Circuit Breaker and WFH arrangements) to meet demand levels.
Inventory levels however vary the spokesperson said, and customers may need to opt for another similar product to what they had in mind due to this.
ASUS added that the shortage won’t affect the arrival of new routers this year and they still have router launches in the pipeline so end-users can look forward to those.
Local telco StarHub said that they offer customers a diversity of router models from different manufacturers and have sufficient stocks of their Smart Wi-Fi as well as the recently launched Smart Wi-fi Pro. They added that they are monitoring the situation and remain in close contact with their suppliers to take prompt action where necessary.
*Update*
According to Jonathan Quek, Product Director at D-Link International, the shortage of chipsets has some impact on D-Link supplying stock to meet worldwide market demands especially as they have a wide product line ranging from consumer to business solutions.
In terms of Singapore, D-Link expects there will be a more limited quantity of Wi-Fi 6 routers available in the market and some delays in catering to local demand, but Quek stresses that they will be doing their best to secure more stock for the local needs.
Linksys said that as a router brand, they have continuously been launching new routers, and because of their wide range of router portfolios, they do not currently see a direct impact of the global shortage in the Singapore market and are still able to meet local demand.
They are also constantly engaging with providers to ensure that the shortage does not impact their customers.