Thanks. I nearly had to call the car hauler when two tires went flat at the same time due to 40 below. New tires, too. But, I got some air in one and the spare was good, so now I think I should probably get on the cell phone bandwagen in case three tires go down next cold snap.
Calls anywhere in the U.S. are billed at 9 cents a minute. The minutes can expire, but I don't remember after how long. The most important feature: no contract. Use the phone as you see fit. If you live outside a major metropolitian area, then you need to be more concerned about which carrier gives the best coverage.
I'm afraid you will have to worry about coverage. Ask your friends about their cellular providers. I live in Chicago, and I asked around for months before I settled on T-Mobile (interesting factoid: they don't work 30 floors or more up in the air). Problem is, you can receive assurances from the retailers and check websites all you wish and they'll all say their phones will work. But ask an electrical contractor on a jobsite somewhere (or someone else who actually uses and needs their phone) and they'll tell you something entirely different.