In a move that has sparked criticism from technology enthusiasts and environmental advocates alike, the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has disabled thousands of routers used in its Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program. The decision, which came into effect on June 30, rendered these functioning devices useless, leaving volunteers with no option but to dispose of them as electronic waste. The story highlights a broader tension between government program management, corporate responsibility, and sustainable technology use.
The MBA program was launched in 2020 to provide independent, transparent data on the performance of broadband services in Australia. The ACCC recruited thousands of volunteers, each of whom received a 'whitebox' router supplied by SamKnows, a company that specializes in measuring internet performance. The routers ran tests on fixed-line broadband services, primarily over the National Broadband Network (NBN), Australia's government-owned wholesale open-access network, as well as other access networks. According to the ACCC's final report, the whiteboxes were programmed to conduct tests using servers maintained by SamKnows and hosted in Australia.
In total, the ACCC initially expected to deploy about 4,000 whiteboxes throughout the program's duration, and by December 2020 it had distributed over 2,600 of them. The devices were used to generate detailed performance reports that helped consumers make informed choices about their internet plans. The final performance report was released last month, marking the program's conclusion.
Bricking the devices
Following the program's end, volunteers received an email from the SamKnows Team (part of Cisco) informing them that the whiteboxes would be disabled on June 30 and their accounts closed. The email stated that the devices would stop collecting data and that all measurement and registration data would be deleted. However, as one volunteer pointed out to technology outlets, the routers remained physically functional, making the remote disabling of the devices an unnecessary creation of e-waste.
The volunteer, who wished to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns, noted that the whiteboxes run a custom version of OpenWRT, the popular open-source Linux-based operating system for embedded devices. This means the devices can be reflashed into fully functional Wi-Fi routers with decent performance. The volunteer personally reflashed their own device (a process requiring soldering without company support) and reported that it now works perfectly as a router running OpenWRT. They commented, '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.'
Environmental concerns
The ACCC's response to inquiries about e-waste was limited. A spokesperson stated that volunteers are encouraged to dispose of the disabled whiteboxes in an environmentally responsible manner via free e-waste recycling services, mentioning retailers such as Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, and Harvey Norman. This recommendation has been met with scepticism, as recycling e-waste still consumes energy and resources, and the devices would be more sustainably used if they were freed for continued service.
Globally, e-waste is a growing problem. The United Nations estimates that in 2022, the world generated 62 million tonnes of electronic waste, yet only 22.3% of it was properly collected and recycled. The decision to brick thousands of perfectly serviceable routers adds to this burden. Unlike many discarded electronics, these devices have a clear second life: they can be converted into standard home routers with minimal effort. The fact that the ACCC and SamKnows's parent company Cisco did not facilitate this has drawn sharp criticism.
Who could have prevented this?
When contacted about the decision, Cisco told reporters that all inquiries regarding the MBA program should be directed to the ACCC, citing terms of the agreement between SamKnows and the competition regulator. This deflects responsibility from Cisco, which acquired SamKnows in 2023—six years after the ACCC initially announced its partnership with SamKnows for the program. Whether Cisco had any technological capability to keep the routers running remains unclear, as the company did not respond to follow-up questions.
The ACCC's official statement did not address why the routers could not be opened up via a final firmware update. It merely reiterated that the whiteboxes have been disabled and are no longer operational. The regulatory body seems unwilling to be associated with potential future issues arising from modified routers, but this cautiousness comes at an environmental cost.
A missed opportunity for open-source reuse
This situation is not without precedent. In a similar study, SamKnows distributed 9,000 routers to volunteers to help test internet speeds in the United States for a 2011 FCC report. Neither the FCC nor SamKnows publicly disclosed what happened to those devices. The lack of transparency in both cases suggests that companies and government agencies may view test equipment as disposable assets with no post-program value. Yet the hardware remains usable, and the open-source community has long demonstrated how to repurpose such devices.
The whiteboxes in question are based on relatively standard hardware. With a serial console connection and some soldering, a knowledgeable user can flash a generic OpenWRT build and turn the router into a robust device capable of handling modern home network tasks. The fact that such a process exists but was not officially supported indicates a missed opportunity to foster repair and reuse. The European Union's 'right to repair' movement advocates for manufacturers to make devices repairable and upgradeable; the Australian government's decision contrasts sharply with these growing global trends.
Technical aspects of the devices
The SamKnows whiteboxes run a modified version of OpenWRT, which itself is a derivative of the Linux operating system. OpenWRT provides a fully writable filesystem with package management, making it highly versatile. However, the customizations made for the MBA program included closed-source components that tied the device to SamKnows's cloud infrastructure. Once the servers were decommissioned, the devices could no longer perform their programmed tests. But the underlying OpenWRT kernel and drivers remain compatible with standard builds, which is why reflashing is possible. The only barrier is the lack of an official unlock mechanism, which could have been as simple as sending a script or a firmware update that wiped the proprietary components and reset the device to factory defaults.
Meanwhile, some tinkerers have already shared detailed guides online on how to hack the whiteboxes, including identifying the serial port pins, preparing a TFTP server, and flashing a public OpenWRT image. These efforts underscore the demand for such capabilities and the frustration when they are not provided by the manufacturer.
Broader implications for government programs
The MBA program achieved its goal of measuring broadband performance and holding internet service providers accountable. The final report contains valuable data that will help consumers and regulators for years to come. But the cost of the program included these thousands of devices that were only used for a few years. The decision to brick them instead of allowing reuse reflects a short-term view of technology lifecycles. Government procurement contracts should ideally include end-of-life provisions that either recycle components or open up the hardware for continued use. The ACCC's contract with SamKnows clearly did not require such a provision.
Ultimately, this case serves as a warning: without careful planning, even well-intentioned technology programs can generate significant e-waste. The practice of remotely disabling hardware after a service ends is common in the Internet of Things (IoT) sector, where companies 'brick' devices when subscriptions expire or when a product line is discontinued. This approach violates the principles of sustainability and consumer rights. The Australian government, by endorsing such a practice, sets a poor example for how to manage public assets in the digital age.
Source: Ars Technica News