Verizon Wireless is the U.S. network that has received fewer complaints from its subscribers, according to J.D. Power and Associates.

The semiannual study measures how many times users have reported problems with their wireless calls, including failed connections, dropped calls, static, and echoes.

For the ninth consecutive reporting period, Verizon had fewer customer-reported problems than its rivals.

However, the study showed that the difference in network quality is shrinking.

Verizon rivals AT&T, Sprint Nextel, and T-Mobile aren't far behind, as the report showed that the gap between the highest and lowest-ranked carrier decreased since the last study from 2008.

As carriers continue to invest heavily in infrastructure upgrades and improvements, the differences in their network performance has truly resonated with customers, said Kirk Parsons, J.D. Power and Associates' senior director of wireless services, in a statement.

The expansions in coverage will become increasingly important as carriers continue to roll out next-generation technologies.

According to the study, the average customer receives 98 SMS messages per month, an increase from the 47 text messages last year's study reported.