Injecting a dose of reality into the iPhone frenzy, Consumer Reports said today that the product's success may be dampened by the consistently low customer satisfaction of AT&T's wireless service (formerly Cingular).

AT&T is the sole carrier for the iPhone, but for several years in a row, it has been among the worst performers when it comes to Consumer Reports' annual customer satisfaction surveys.

In the latest report, AT&T had "middling to low" customer satisfaction, with static and busy circuits a common problem. The company also got low marks for helpfulness in handling questions and complaints.

And the EDGE network the iPhone will run on is slower than other available networks.

Consumer Reports, which hasn't gotten an actual iPhone to review, does like AT&T's pricing plans, calling them "competitive." Still the upshot of the initial reaction seems to be that early adopters could be in for some headaches.