Telecommunications operators spend big money on advertising, with $8.65 million going for telecom services ads in 2011, according to Kantar Media, a research firm that tracks advertising spending. But mobile carriers may not always get what they paid for, which is, ultimately, brand recognition and more revenue. Operators' TV ads can be memorable for good reasons as well as not-so-good ones. While some commercials are eye-catching and hit the mark, others can be downright befuddling. The best ads convey a simple but powerful message that a carrier or OEM is trying to get across, while the less effective ads fail to explain the value the product or service being advertised--or worse, cause embarrassment for a company. We have put together an admittedly highly subjective shortlist of the best and worst ads released by wireless companies so far in 2012. We have rated each based on aesthetics and effectiveness and assigned an overall grade. To be clear, we aren't critiquing, reviewing or otherwise passing judgment on the products or services highlighted in the ads, just on the commercials themselves. Take a look at the best and worst wireless ads of 2012 here.