Onestream is changing the game by providing reusable routers

Jonathan Victoria • 28 Nov 2024

A first for UK broadband providers.

Onestream is aiming to change the game with an eco-friendly drive, providing the option for new customers to reuse their existing router when they sign up with the provider.

As one of the largest independent providers in the UK, Onestream are hoping that they will be able to influence other providers to follow suit, helping to prevent e-waste.

Initial trials set out from Onestream have proven fairly positive already, with one in five customers opting for the money-saving, eco-friendly choice.

Ease of reusing routers

Most providers will offer their own-designed router when customers sign up to their services. These routers are usually locked-down, meaning that they restrict access to advanced settings, preventing customers from reconfiguring the router to be used with another service/provider.

In these cases, if the customer then chooses to leave the provider, they are stuck with a router that they can’t use and ultimately either throw away or leave to collect dust in their house.

A recent study actually found that there are over 22 million unused routers across UK households, with one in seven households claiming to have two or more routers lying unused.

Onestream are looking to inspire their competitors - most notably the leading UK providers such as Sky, BT and Virgin Media - to follow in their footsteps by allowing customers to reconfigure their existing routers.

It is a simple process to follow and doesn’t require any engineer or expert technology knowledge. 

Helping prevent e-waste

Research has shown that an estimated 9 million people switch providers every year. Taking Onestreams trial figures (one in five customers), that would stop 1.8 million routers from being wasted or dumped every year.

Broadband routers are classified as Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment, or WEEE for short, which means they can’t be disposed of in household waste, leading people to simply leave them lying in their home. This is e-waste.

Co-founder of Onestream Aaron Brown spoke ahead of National Recycle Week in October, saying:

“Locked-down routers are a major source of e-waste, and providers who refuse to allow them to be decoupled from the service are restricting customer choice and contributing to environmental harm in a way that is completely unnecessary.

“We are proud to lead the way in offering a more sustainable, game-changing option that not only saves our customers money, but also helps protect the environment from the effects of large volumes of electronic waste being destroyed or sent to landfill.

“For our customers, reconfiguring an existing router is usually simpler than setting up a new one. If the major providers followed our lead, many more consumers would be able to make this choice.

“We believe reusing routers should be the default choice, and we challenge other providers to join us in making a simple change that could have a huge positive impact.”