Thousands of broadband testing devices in Australia have been rendered useless after the conclusion of a government program, sparking criticism over unnecessary electronic waste. The routers, supplied by SamKnows (now part of Cisco), were used by volunteers to measure internet speeds as part of the Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program. Despite still being fully functional, the devices were disabled on June 30, and participants were told to dispose of them through e-waste recycling services.

The MBA program was launched in 2020 by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC), the country's competition regulator. It aimed to provide transparent data on the actual speeds consumers could expect from broadband plans, particularly those delivered over the National Broadband Network (NBN). Volunteers received specially configured routers—often called whiteboxes—that ran automated tests against SamKnows servers to measure performance metrics such as download and upload speeds, latency, and packet loss.

According to the ACCC's final report, the program distributed approximately 4,000 whiteboxes throughout its duration, with over 2,600 already deployed by December 2020. The routers were manufactured and supplied by SamKnows, a company acquired by Cisco in 2023. When the program ended last month, the ACCC instructed SamKnows to disable all devices and delete associated user data. An email sent to volunteers in mid-June informed them that their whitebox would be disabled, their SamKnows One account closed, and measurement data deleted in accordance with retention obligations.

However, many volunteers realized that the routers are still perfectly functional. One participant, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told reporters that the devices run a custom version of OpenWRT—an open-source Linux-based operating system for embedded devices. This means the hardware can be reflashed to serve as a normal Wi-Fi router with decent performance. The volunteer demonstrated this by reflashing their own device using a soldering iron and confirmed it works great running standard OpenWRT. They expressed frustration that the company and the government did not release a simple final firmware update to unlock the devices for end users, saying, "It seems a shame to me that these perfectly good devices should all be [disabled] simply because the company can't be bothered to send out a final firmware update that opens the devices up to end users."

The Program's Purpose and Outcomes

The Measuring Broadband Australia program was designed to give consumers reliable information about internet performance. Fixed-line broadband services on the NBN, as well as those using other access networks, were tested. The final report released by the ACCC provided aggregated data on speed tiers, service reliability, and provider performance. While the program was widely praised for its transparency, the aftermath has raised questions about the environmental cost of such initiatives.

E-waste is a growing global issue. According to the United Nations, a record 62 million tonnes of electronic waste were generated in 2022, and only 22% was formally recycled. The wholesale disabling of thousands of functional routers adds to that burden. The volunteer noted that the hardware inside the whiteboxes is comparable to modern entry-level routers and could easily serve as a reliable home networking device. Instead, the devices are destined for recycling facilities, which often involve resource-intensive processes and may still result in material loss.

Lack of Transparency from Stakeholders

When questioned about the decision, the ACCC provided a statement that did not address the e-waste concerns or the possibility of a final firmware update. The regulator simply noted that the whiteboxes were dedicated test devices and that with the program's conclusion, they have been disabled. Volunteers were encouraged to unplug their whiteboxes and dispose of them at free e-waste recycling services available at local councils, Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, or Harvey Norman stores.

SamKnows and Cisco did not provide direct answers. Cisco redirected inquiries to the ACCC, stating that per SamKnows' agreement with the ACCC, all questions about the MBA program should be directed to the regulator. It remains unclear whether Cisco had any influence on the decision to disable the devices. Since Cisco acquired SamKnows six years after the program started, the contractual terms may have limited their ability to intervene.

Some observers speculate that liability concerns may have driven the decision. If the devices were unlocked and users installed custom firmware, the companies might face support issues or security problems. Alternatively, the data collection agreement likely required the devices to be secured to prevent misuse of remaining measurement infrastructure. However, the volunteer argued that a simple factory reset and firmware update to remove the custom testing software would have mitigated those risks.

Broader Implications for Tech and Policy

The incident highlights a recurring problem in large-scale consumer technology projects: what happens to proprietary hardware when the program ends? Similar programs in other countries have faced the same dilemma. In the United States, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) used SamKnows routers in 2011 for a broadband performance study involving 9,000 volunteers. The fate of those devices remains unknown, as neither the FCC nor SamKnows has publicly stated whether they were repurposed or discarded.

Advocates for the right to repair and sustainable technology argue that such programs should include end-of-life provisions that allow devices to be reused. The European Union, for instance, has introduced regulations requiring manufacturers to provide software updates and spare parts for several years after sale. In Australia, similar conversations are gaining traction as e-waste becomes a pressing environmental concern.

The technical community has already taken matters into its own hands. Instructions for reflashing the SamKnows whiteboxes have appeared online, enabling tech-savvy users to revive the devices. However, this requires opening the case and connecting to the router's serial port, an operation that demands basic soldering skills. Many volunteers lack the expertise or tools to do so, meaning the vast majority of the 4,000 devices will likely end up in recycling bins.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations

The scale of the waste is significant. Each whitebox contains a printed circuit board with processors, memory, Ethernet ports, and Wi-Fi modules—materials that require mining and manufacturing energy. The carbon footprint of producing these devices is wasted if they are discarded after only a few years of service. According to the volunteer, the hardware is robust and could function for many more years as a reliable home router.

The decision also runs contrary to Australia's own efforts to reduce e-waste. The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme has been in place since 2011, aiming to improve recycling rates. Yet sending thousands of perfectly functional routers to be recycled, rather than reused, misses an opportunity to extend product life cycles.

Some have called for the government to reconsider its approach in future programs. A simple contractual clause requiring the provider to make a final open-source firmware release available would have prevented the waste. Alternatively, the devices could have been donated to schools, libraries, or community organizations that need networking equipment. The ACCC did not respond to questions about whether such options were considered.

In a world increasingly concerned about sustainability, the case of the SamKnows whiteboxes serves as a cautionary tale. Technology programs that distribute custom hardware must plan for the end of life of that hardware—not just the end of the program. Otherwise, good intentions for transparency and consumer protection may be undermined by a legacy of unnecessary e-waste.

Source: Ars Technica News