Wireless provider Verizon’s (VZ) subscribers report the lowest number of dropped calls and the highest rates of customer satisfaction in the industry.  But not so AT&T (T). A new survey by ChangeWave Research shows dropped calls are a growing problem for AT&T, while its customer satisfaction is lagging that of its industry rivals Verizon, Sprint Nextel (S) and T-Mobile — a subsidiary of Deutsche Telecom (DT).

Specifically, in a ChangeWave March survey of 4,040 U.S. and Canadian wireless subscribers, Verizon customers reported only 1.5% of their calls being dropped over the previous 3 months – best among mobile service providers and Verizon’s best rating ever in a ChangeWave survey.

Conversely, AT&T recorded its worst rating ever in a ChangeWave survey, with AT&T customers reporting an average of 4.5% of their calls dropped over the previous 3 months.

Sprint came in at #2 with an average of 2.4% of its calls dropped, and T-Mobile #3 with 2.8% of its calls dropped.

The level of dropped calls correlates closely with customer satisfaction with their wireless providers, according to the ChangeWave March survey.

Verizon remains the clear leader in customer satisfaction with 49% of its customers surveyed saying thay are “very satisfied” with Verizon’s service. This is in line with previous ChangeWave surveys — including a January 2010 survey where 50% of Verizon customers said they were “very satisfied”.

Again, Sprint ranks #2 behind Verizon, with 35% of their customers surveyed saying that they are “very satisfied” with their Sprint Nextel service – up from 27% in January.  Deutche Telecom’s T-Mobile is tied with AT&T for last place. For both companies, only 23% of their customers surveyed say they are “very satisfied” with their wireless provider.

Click here for the complete ChangeWave Wireless Survey findings.

About ChangeWave: ChangeWave Research is an independent research boutique that identifies and quantifies changes in consumer spending, corporate purchasing, and industry and company trends through a weekly series of large sample surveys.   ChangeWave tracks the rate of change in demand trends by surveying its network of 25,000 accredited business, technology and medical professionals – along with early adopter consumers – working in more than 20 industries. ChangeWave provides its results through a weekly subscription service of published reports to institutional and corporate clients. ChangeWave Research is a subsidiary of InvestorPlace Media, LLC,