This is gonna be the thread where we talk about stuff

Hey, would anyone mind talking at me about, um... mobile phones, and phone plans?
I don't have a mobile phone at all, I haven't had one for a few years and the one I used to have was one of those old flip-phones. Dad had set up the phone plan back then, since we basically just used those phones to be able to contact each other in cases of emergency, or change of plans when away from home, etc. but back in 2012 dad decided that the amount of time we were using just carrying the phones around and not using them wasn't worth the phone bill so he cancelled it

anyway, i really wanna visit a friend out of state sometime early next year, but I've never travelled out of state, and I'm not going to as long as I don't have a phone, and I know nothing about phones these days. I guess I'd want something simple that just has calling and texting?? But I wouldn't mind if I could actually get a smartphone for as cheap as I could get some weird restricted travel plan phone.

i guess i could really use some recommendations on uh... companies that provide this junk too...? like do i want verizon or t-mobile or something else. are those companies even relevant anymore.