We've noted our dissatisfaction with the performance of the AT&T 3G network, and so have TechFlash readers who voted the network the biggest tech debacle of 2009. But there's some evidence that AT&T is making improvements, including in Seattle where iPhone customers routinely have complained of dropped calls or missing text messages.

A new report out today from PCWorld ranks AT&T as having the fastest average 3G download speeds across 13 U.S. cities, including Seattle. That's a big turnaround from last Spring when AT&T ranked last among the four major carriers in the PCWorld survey.

Average download speeds across the 13 cities clocked in at 1410 kbps on the AT&T network, which PC World noted was 67 percent faster on average than Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon.

In Seattle, the download speeds were slightly better than the national average, coming in at 1771 kbps. That was the second fastest of the 13 cities, just behind Baltimore. And it put AT&T well ahead of Verizon (758 kbps), Sprint(757 kpbs) and T-Mobile (929 kbps) in Seattle.

National 3G network speeds. Source:PCWorld

The AT&T network also had 100 percent reliability in Seattle. From a personal experience, I've noticed fewer dropped calls in recent weeks. The network is certainly not perfect, but it appears at least AT&T is headed on the right path.

PCWorld conducted the tests on both laptops and smartphones. Here's what they had to say about the iPhone, which is available exclusively on the AT&T network and has caused a drain on the company's network resources.

Our smartphone-based tests of the AT&T network told the same story as our laptop-based tests, though they also revealed the speed limitations of smartphones in general, especially when the devices are uploading data to the network. The AT&T and iPhone combo turned in the fastest average speeds--downstream and upstream--of the four carrier/smartphone combinations we tested, outperforming its rivals in more than three-fourths of the cities we sampled. AT&T connected the iPhone at an average download speed of 1259 kbps, and an average upload speed of 215 kbps over the 13 testing cities. The iPhone clocked download speeds of at least 1000 kbps in more than 60 percent of our testing locations, with burst rates often exceeding 3000 kbps, and we managed to obtain a reliable connection in 91 percent of our AT&T/iPhone tests.

AT&T has been touting its network in recent weeks, noting that it has spent $775 million from 2007-2009 in Washington state alone. It also has been engaged in a PR-battle with rival Verizon.

Full report, including charts, here.

Related story: "Report: AT&T has fastest 3G network in U.S., but not in Seattle"

[Hat tip to David Geller]