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freitasm

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#277177 30-Sep-2020 16:04
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Just received:

 

 

Slingshot is inviting new customers to choose a pre-loved modem in a bid to reduce e-waste, and has teamed up with environmental charity Keep New Zealand Beautiful to promote the campaign and help raise funds for the not for profit.

 

Taryn Hamilton, Slingshot CEO, said the company has dubbed the recycled modems ‘Ugly’, but in reality, the modems are in perfect working order, but have a few scratches and bumps from a previous life.

 

“Instead of consigning perfectly functional equipment to e-waste or landfill, we’re asking customers to take one on, and we’ll give money to a good cause.”

 

Slingshot will donate $15 to Keep New Zealand Beautiful every time someone selects an Ugly Modem.

 

Hamilton explains that Slingshot retains ownership of modems it sends to customers, and at the end of a contract, its get the modems back and refurbishes them to look brand new.

 

However, around 30 percent of the items returned from customers are considered unusable due to external damage, including discolouring or marks. “A good proportion are entirely functional, but, well, they’re a bit too ugly to send to a new customer. Unless that customer specifically agrees to it,” Hamilton adds.

 

Usual business practice is to send equipment in this condition to e-waste processing. While a proportion of the electronics is recycled, there is an inevitable quantity which goes into landfill.

 

Locally and globally, so-called e-waste is recognised as a significant challenge. One estimate puts total e-waste at 48 million tons a year, while a recent Radio New Zealand article estimates that 20kg of e-waste is created for every New Zealander, every year.

 

That waste comprises old computers, dead mobile phones, junked televisions and, inevitably, quite a few ugly but functional modems. For more than 50 years, Keep New Zealand Beautiful has mobilised more than 100,000 volunteers every year, cleaning up beaches, picking up litter, removing graffiti, planting trees and more.

 

CEO Heather Saunderson applauds Slingshot’s initiative. “It is estimated that more than 80,000 tonnes of electrical waste is disposed of in landfill each year. We can’t do without our technology equipment, but where possible we can reduce, reuse and recycle. It’s great to see a company recognise its role in reducing environmental impact through effective recycling – so I encourage anyone who wants to do their bit to take on an Ugly Modem. Because in this case, ugly really is beautiful.”

 

 





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wellygary
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  #2576568 30-Sep-2020 16:08
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the modems are in perfect working order, but have a few scratches and bumps from a previous life.

 

Not wanting to be paranoid but,

 

Please tell me they reflash these with a totally new image, rather than just pushing the "hard reset" pin hole....




nztim
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  #2576616 30-Sep-2020 17:06
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maybe they saw my post on this  thread https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumId=49&topicId=277021 , of boxes of old modems at the Porirua Tip

 

 





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shk292
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  #2576621 30-Sep-2020 17:15
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I just wish they'd stop calling them modems.  That's only one step up from people who call a PC base unit the "CPU"




nztim
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  #2576622 30-Sep-2020 17:16
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shk292:

 

I just wish they'd stop calling them modems.  That's only one step up from people who call a PC base unit the "CPU"

 

 

there are a modem if the xDSL function is used, otherwise its a router :)





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snnet
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#2576623 30-Sep-2020 17:17
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shk292:

 

I just wish they'd stop calling them modems.  That's only one step up from people who call a PC base unit the "CPU"

 

 

I always hear "hard drive"

 

At least my mum's description of "computer brain" is somewhat accurate in the sense it's where everything goes back to


shk292
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  #2576626 30-Sep-2020 17:19
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nztim:

 

shk292:

 

I just wish they'd stop calling them modems.  That's only one step up from people who call a PC base unit the "CPU"

 

 

there are a modem if the xDSL function is used, otherwise its a router :)

 

 

They're always a router, nearly always a switch, nearly always a WAP.  Rarely a modem in the days of UFB.  So why call them modems?

 

I know, it's OCD but we're geeks right?


hio77
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  #2576642 30-Sep-2020 18:00
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props to their marketing team to come up with this atleast..

 

 

 

i'd assume they do have an appropriate second hand licence... 





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


 
 
 

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quentinreade
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  #2576644 30-Sep-2020 18:01
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Hi all, we def flash all the routers... take your points around terminology - it's a tough road trying to explain tech to the every person...

 

(Still trying to explain wireless vs FWA vs Wi-Fi to my rural-based parents) 





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quentinreade
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  #2576645 30-Sep-2020 18:02
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hio77:

 

i'd assume they do have an appropriate second hand licence... 

 

 

 

 

This came up at work - we retain ownership - so phew!





Comms chap

 

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networkn
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  #2576649 30-Sep-2020 18:09
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hio77:

 

props to their marketing team to come up with this atleast..

 

 

Yup, we definately need to see more of this type of thing.


hio77
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  #2576650 30-Sep-2020 18:11
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quentinreade:

 

hio77:

 

i'd assume they do have an appropriate second hand licence... 

 

 

 

 

This came up at work - we retain ownership - so phew!

 

 

Ahh! That's the gotcha :)

 

 

 

hardware's a minefield, sounds like you have the right folk on it!





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


hio77
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  #2576652 30-Sep-2020 18:12
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networkn:

 

hio77:

 

props to their marketing team to come up with this atleast..

 

 

Yup, we definately need to see more of this type of thing.

 

 

i disagree, they make good bridge modems ;)





#include <std_disclaimer>

 

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

 

 


lNomNoml
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  #2576654 30-Sep-2020 18:12
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shk292:

 

I just wish they'd stop calling them modems.  That's only one step up from people who call a PC base unit the "CPU"

 

 

I thought it was called a "hard drive"


openmedia
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  #2577020 1-Oct-2020 09:41
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Great call by slingshot. There is way to much e-waste and sending out new modem/routers as a default behaviour just contributes to this.





Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat APAC as a Technology Evangelist and Portfolio Architect. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.


nztim
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  #2577021 1-Oct-2020 09:43
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hio77:

 

i disagree, they make good bridge modems ;)

 

 

They also, with the generic firmware, when factory reset make a cheap Access Point with a 5 port switch as the default configuration has all ports bridged together





Any views expressed on these forums are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer. 


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