Australian government disables thousands of functioning SamKnows routers

Program Conclusion and Router Disabling

The Measuring Broadband Australia (MBA) program, conducted by the ACCC, aimed at assessing broadband performance using volunteer-distributed SamKnows routers. As of June 30, 2023, the program concluded, leading to the disabling of these routers.

Volunteers received an email notification stating that their devices would be deactivated and data collected would be deleted after this date.

Router Details and Impact

The routers, supplied by SamKnows, were designed to conduct performance tests over Australia’s NBN and other networks. Despite the program ending, some volunteers reported that their devices were still functional, prompting concerns over waste.

The ACCC did not disclose the exact number of routers disabled but previously indicated that over 2,600 devices were distributed, with the expectation of more during the program’s lifespan.

Concerns Over Electronic Waste

The decision to disable functioning routers raises significant questions regarding environmental impacts and the increasing problem of e-waste due to unnecessary device disposal.

Feedback from volunteers highlights that many of these devices could still be utilized for data collection or other purposes, underlining a missed opportunity for sustainable practices.