Key Facts:

• The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) ran the Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program since 2020, using SamKnows whitebox routers to test fixed-line broadband performance over the NBN.
• Around 4,000 routers were distributed to volunteers; the program ended on June 30, 2026, and all devices were remotely disabled.
• The routers run a custom version of OpenWRT, an open-source Linux-based operating system, and can be reflashed into fully functional Wi-Fi routers with a soldering iron.
• Volunteers are encouraged to recycle the devices through e-waste services, but many argue that a final open firmware update would prevent unnecessary waste.
• Cisco, which acquired SamKnows in 2023, declined to comment, referring inquiries to the ACCC, which provided no explanation for the disabling.

Background: The Measuring Broadband Australia Program

In 2020, the ACCC launched the Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program to provide transparent, independent data on the actual speeds and performance of broadband plans sold to Australian consumers. The program focused on fixed-line services delivered over the National Broadband Network (NBN), Australia’s government-owned wholesale open-access network, as well as services from other access network providers. To gather real-world measurements, the ACCC partnered with SamKnows, a UK-based network testing company that later became a Cisco subsidiary in 2023.

Volunteers across the country received a small whitebox router supplied by SamKnows. These devices contained specialized firmware that ran a battery of tests — measuring download and upload speeds, latency, packet loss, and more — against test servers hosted by SamKnows within Australia. The aggregated data was used to publish regular reports comparing the performance of internet service providers (ISPs) and retail plans, helping consumers make informed choices.

The program was widely praised for its rigorous methodology. Unlike typical speed tests run by ISPs or third-party websites, the MBA whitebox tested performance over a 24-hour period, capturing peak-time congestion and other real-world conditions. By the end of 2020, the ACCC had distributed over 2,600 whiteboxes, with plans to expand to about 4,000 over the program’s lifetime.

The Program Ends and Routers Are Bricked

On June 30, 2026, the ACCC’s final report on the MBA program was released, and simultaneously, all active whitebox routers were disabled. Volunteers received an email from “The SamKnows Team (part of Cisco)” informing them that their device would be deactivated and their accounts closed. The message stated: “Your whitebox will be disabled, and your SamKnows One account will be closed. You may unplug your whitebox and we encourage you to dispose of it in an environmentally responsible manner.”

However, the routers were still physically functional. A volunteer who asked to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns told a technology publication that the whitebox runs a custom version of OpenWRT — an open-source, Linux-based operating system commonly used for embedded routers. “The devices can easily be reflashed into normal Wi-Fi routers with very decent performance,” they said. The volunteer reported that they personally reflashed their own device using a soldering iron to access the hardware serial port, and it now works perfectly as a home router running standard OpenWRT.

The decision to brick thousands of working devices has sparked criticism over electronic waste. E-waste is a growing global problem, with millions of tons of discarded electronics ending up in landfills each year. Functional routers that could serve consumers for years are being treated as disposable, despite a viable alternative: a final firmware update that would unlock the devices for general use.

E-Waste Concerns and Missed Opportunities

The ACCC’s recommendation to recycle the whiteboxes through free e-waste services — such as local council resource recovery centers or retail stores like Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, and Harvey Norman — does little to address the fact that these are fully functional devices. Recycling, while better than landfill, consumes energy and resources to break down components that could have been reused. Furthermore, many volunteer routers are still in good condition, having been used passively in home networks for testing purposes.

Comparable programs in other countries have faced similar dilemmas. In 2011, SamKnows distributed 9,000 routers to U.S. volunteers for the Federal Communications Commission’s Measuring Broadband America program. The fate of those routers is unclear; neither the FCC nor SamKnows has publicly disclosed whether they were also disabled or repurposed.

Technically, unlocking the routers would have been straightforward. Since the devices already run OpenWRT, SamKnows could have issued an automatic firmware update that resets the device to a stock OpenWRT configuration, making it a fully functional Wi-Fi router. Volunteers could then continue using the devices indefinitely, without any further involvement from the program or the company. The volunteer who reflashed their router noted that “everything already exists to do this — they just need to make the update available.”

Responses and Lack of Transparency

When asked why the routers were disabled instead of opened up, the ACCC provided a statement that did not address the e-waste concerns directly: “The ACCC delivered the MBA program with SamKnows, its testing provider. The SamKnows ‘Whitebox’ is a dedicated hardware-based device that was provided to a few thousand volunteers accepted into the program. The device was manufactured and supplied by SamKnows and used to measure broadband performance as part of the program. With the conclusion of the Measuring Broadband Australia program, the whiteboxes deployed during the MBA program have been disabled and are no longer operational.” The statement reiterated that volunteers should recycle the devices responsibly.

SamKnows itself did not respond to inquiries; an automated reply noted that the message was “being reviewed,” but no further answer came. ThousandEyes, the Cisco subsidiary that now operates the SamKnows website, also remained silent. Cisco — which acquired SamKnows in 2023 — directed all questions to the ACCC, stating, “Per SamKnows’ agreement with the ACCC, all inquiries related to the Measurement Broadband Australia program should be directed to the ACCC.”

It is unclear whether Cisco had any influence over the decision to disable the routers. Cisco may have had the technical capability to unlock them, but perhaps contractual agreements or liability concerns prevented it. The ACCC may worry that releasing unlocked routers into the wild could lead to future support issues or security vulnerabilities if the devices are not updated. However, the routers are already capable of running OpenWRT, which receives regular security patches from the open-source community. A responsible final update could have configured the devices to check for updates from the OpenWRT repository, ensuring continued security.

Salvaging the Routers: A Community Effort

Despite the official bricking, resourceful volunteers have found ways to keep the routers alive. The anonymous volunteer who successfully reflashed their device shared details online in a forum post that has since garnered attention. The process requires a soldering iron to connect to the router’s serial console, but once done, standard OpenWRT firmware can be installed. The result is a fully functional Wi-Fi router that can handle typical home internet use.

Other whitebox owners are following similar paths, and the broader tech community has offered guidance. Some have suggested that SamKnows could have made this process easier by providing a bootloader unlock code or a simple USB-based flashing method — but no such official support exists. The absence of a straightforward solution means that only users with technical skills and soldering experience can salvage their devices, leaving the majority of volunteers with no option but to discard them.

Lessons for Future Programs

The MBA program’s termination highlights a recurring issue in government and corporate testing initiatives: what happens to the hardware when the project ends? Short-sighted planning can lead to significant e-waste and wasted consumer trust. In this case, a final open-source firmware release could have turned a potential liability into a positive community resource, demonstrating environmental responsibility.

Going forward, agencies like the ACCC could include sustainability clauses in contracts with technology providers, requiring that at the end of a program, devices be made available for reuse or donated to educational institutions. Similarly, companies like SamKnows and Cisco could build in “graceful decommissioning” features from the start — such as a simple button press or a final update that converts a dedicated test box into a general-purpose router.

The story of these 4,000 routers is a cautionary tale about the tension between program integrity, liability avoidance, and environmental stewardship. As e-waste continues to mount globally, every decision to discard a working device should be justified — and in this case, the justification remains unclear.

Source:Ars Technica News