Will explain this again, since it seems not many have caught on.
Proceed to get a cell phone that has as few minutes as possible, but if you can find one that gives you unlimited minutes to 1 or a few people that is perfect.
You do not need text, so as few as possible or zero included.
Now get yourself a google voice account and route it to your cell. Only give out your google voice number. Go ahead and forget your cell number except for support or billing reasons. Just do not give it out.
As long as you can call into your google voice account, you can now call anyone anywhere. The rates are free for all domestic calls and other countries are often as cheap as .02 a minute.
You also now get unlimited SMS messages, and voicemail - which can also be transcribed into email. Conference calling, call routing for everyone or to even certain numbers. (so say your done with a chick, all her calls now go to voicemail forever).
Lots of other features as well like no name on caller ID = enter name or voice mail. Listen in to voice mails as they are recording and pick up if you wish. You can also start recording any phone call at any time. I know I am forgetting a whole lot of shit.
Oh I currently use T-mobile with a fav-5. I do pay for data though.
I got my niece an account with google voice and then her carrier is Kajeet.
http://www.kajeet.com/4u/services-and-rates.html Who is having a special rate sign up for rest of September for 19.99