J.D. Power and Associates awarded Verizon Wireless, T-Mobile USA and Alltel with the highest ranking in wireless customer care praise. In case you’re wonder how other carriers did, AT&T and Sprint Nextel were ranked average.

The ranking was based by J.D. Power on feedback received from over 12,000 wireless customers who have recently contacted their carrier’s customer care service in the past year. Verizon Wireless scored 747 points out of 1,000, and so did Alltel and T-Mobile USA.

AT&T and Sprint scores were not published. However, general rating brought the two companies a score of 2 out of five. Alltel, Verizon and T-Mobile, however, scored five out of five in general rating.

According to J. D. Power, companies can improve their customer care services by reducing the wait times when subscribers call. More that 75% of calls to customer service are resolved on first contact. In addition, the average time on hold is approximately 5.55 minutes. This means an improvement as in February the hold time was 6.58.