The issue of "network neutrality" heads to a vote in the Senate next week, but signs are not looking good that the outcome will be any different from last week.

The House of Representatives rejected a bill co-sponsored by Rep. Jay Inslee to prevent telecom companies from charging Internet companies for different tiers of network access. That leaves some consumers wondering whether the Internet without premium service will become as dull as TV without cable.

Today, Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, said he believed the Senate would take a similar vote, according to Bloomberg.

I haven't heard of too many Internet companies setting up shop in Alaska. So far, senators in the land of Amazon.com and Microsoft have been mum on the issue.