AT&T (Still) Ranked Worst Carrier

Are you unhappy with your mobile service? If so, there's a good chance you're an AT&T customer. According to a recent customer satisfaction survey, AT&T once again ranks dead last among all mobile service providers.

The survey comes from Consumer Reports, which released this latest report on mobile service providers this past Tuesday (December 6).

For the second straight year, AT&T came in well behind its major competitors, including Verizon Wireless, Sprint, and T-Mobile. Even worse, AT&T's rating actually slipped lower this year, compared with last year, though in all fairness some deterioration in ratings was found for all the major carriers.

66,000 Mobile Subscribers Polled

Consumer Reports bases its studies on feedback from approximately 66,000 mobile service subscribers.

Coming in first in this latest report, with a rating of 73 out of a possible 100, was Verizon Wireless, which finished atop the standings last year, as well. In fact, Verizon has dominated the ranks of major carriers since 2003, primarily because of its top-ranked customer service.

Verizon did however slip a few points this year, due to earning only "average" ratings for phone support and issue resolution. (Source: slashgear.com)

Sprint ranked second this year with 72 points, placing it almost in a dead heat with Verizon. It ranked best for value.

T-Mobile, however, finished a dismal third with only 67 total points. The primary differences: T-Mobile customers reported dissatisfaction with their carrier's voice quality and customer support.

AT&T Soldiers On; Promises To Improve

AT&T finished with a disappointing 59 points, ranking dead last in virtually every category.

Despite the poor showing, the firm says it values the survey results and will strive to provide better service in the future. In fact, company spokesman Mark Siegel suggests the company's customers will see better service as early 2012.

"While we'll of course evaluate and learn from the Consumer Reports survey, we made significant progress in our network in 2011," Siegel said. (Source: cnn.com)

It's worth noting that a number of smaller carriers finished with better results than Verizon or Sprint. Experts believe, however, that customers using these carriers may have lower expectations, presumably because their cost for mobile subscriptions is significantly lower.