LIVE FROM MWC LAS VEGAS 2023: Verizon Business CEO Kyle Malady didn’t pull any punches when he was asked for his opinion on the possible return of net neutrality rules for the US broadband industry by stating they’re not needed.

“Before there were net neutrality rules, there were no problems in our industry,” Malady said. “Then there were net neutrality rules and there were no problems and then they went away again.

“So now, it’s almost like it’s a theoretical problem that could happen, and we need to regulate it. And right now, I think it’s unneeded to be honest with you.”

To recap, net neutrality was struck down in 2017 after a 3-2 vote by Federal Communication Commission (FCC) commissioners during the administration of President Donald Trump.

Current President Joe Biden has expressed an interest in restoring net neutrality but was hamstrung for several years due to a 2-2 deadlock of commissioners. In May, Biden nominated former National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) executive Anna Gomez as the fifth commissioner, which gave Democrats the majority.

Yesterday (26 September), FCC chair Jessica Rosenworcel announced a proposal for re-instating the rules. The rules would prohibit service providers from blocking or throttling access to websites and online content while also seeking to prevent operators from selectively increasing speeds for entities that agree to pay extra.