[GTALUG] FCC "forces" TP-Link to enable open source on their router(s)

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

<http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2016/08/fcc-forces-tp-link-to-support-open-source-firmware-on-routers/>

I don't quite get it.

The FCC made a rule that was easy to comply with 
if the manufacturers prevented loading of third party firmware.
(The rule: don't let you user set the router to use too much signal strength.)

TP-Link's new firmware "could not" be replaced by 3rd party firmware.

That firmware also allowed out-of-spec signal strength.

As a settlement, FCC required TP-Link to pay a fine, to allow third
party software, and to update the firmware to not allow the user to
specify (through the GUI) too much signal strength.

So the original problem remains: how can TP-Link prevent existing
hardware from generating too strong signals if it cannot control the
firmware?