"you can apply for your free router over on SamKnows"
Up to a point, Lord Copper!
SamKnows has been monitoring broadband performance for various ISPs for some time using a similar 'router' installed at a user's home. But its function (in the case of a cable line) is simply to be interposed between the cable modem and your original router, and the only functions you can use on the SamKnows router are its ethernet sockets. So if you want to volunteer for this project, don't think you are getting a free wireless router you can play with!
PS all this assumes that they haven't changed functionality from the original ISP-monitoring programme.