Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) has responded to AT&T’s request for a temporary restraining order against Verizon’s 3G coverage commercials—and uses the opportunity to attack AT&T’s network quality even further.

On the seventh page of the 53-page legal document, Verizon Wireless writes: “AT&T (NYSE: T) did not file this lawsuit because Verizon’s ‘There’s A Map For That’ advertisements are untrue; AT&T sued because Verizon’s ads are true and the truth hurts.” The document was filed in the U.S. District Court, Northern District of Georgia, and was emailed to reporters by Verizon’s public relations manager this evening. Further down in the document, Verizon claims even loftier rights, such as the first amendment and says the “court should reject its efforts to silence the messenger.”

Verizon argues that AT&T’s request for a temporary restraining order should be denied because Verizon should receive at least 90 days “to conduct discovery on the factual issues underlying AT&T’s motion.” Of course, 90 days would get Verizon through the holiday period, which is gearing up to be the biggest smartphone sales bonanza in history. Last week, an AT&T spokesman said if consumers don’t believe they can make calls in the vast majority of the country,” as they enter the holiday season, “that could do us irreparable harm.”

The beef isn’t about whether AT&T actually does have a smaller 3G footprint than Verizon. Rather, AT&T is arguing that the ads are misleading because they imply that AT&T doesn’t have any coverage where AT&T’s 3G network is non-existent.

In the document, Verizon claims its 3G network covers five times more of the U.S. than AT&T’s 3G network, which sounds a bit on the high side. Last week, AT&T released a fact sheet that said “recent ads from Verizon are so blatantly false and misleading, that we want to set the record straight about AT&T’s wireless data coverage.” However, if the two companies are telling the truth, it does appear AT&T’s 3G network covers fewer people. It says it reaches 233 million people, and Verizon says its 3G network is available to 284 million people.

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