I'm about to go to work as an over the road truck driver and I don't think my current cell phone service (metro pcs) will give me the national coverage I'll need. I'd prefer a pre pay service without a contract. I'll want a phone that will allow me to surf the web as well as make calls, send/receive texts and photos. I also like a full keyboard. And I don't care much for touch screens.

Any advice is appreciated.

Check into pre paid phones for Verizon or AT&T. Those will probably provide the best nationwide service. I don't like Verizon's customer service and stopped using them years ago, but they have good coverage. I've been using AT&T since I switched from Verizon and love them.

i have a cell phone called cricket (its not a pre paid cell phone)
it covers 50states
you might want to check there coverage on your location

my service covers unlimited talk
unlimited text
free voice mail
and i pay $30a month

I know AT&T offers a pre-paid service, thats what my mom used. Not sure all of the frills though. I have AT&T and love the service, have been with them for several years and never had any trouble.

I have Boost,

Its not a prepaid

I have free minutes

fee texts,and I pay $50.00 a month.

free voice mail

and it has a camera on it too.

I love it.

O I almost for got,after awhile the price go down until it reaches to 25.00 a month

i forgot to mention
with cricket phones
they can flash over any other cell phone that you have had in the past from any other company

and i have a old cell phone that has a camera so im eventually going to flash that over

I donno dude....I think I tried pretty much every pay as you go provider. I DID NOT! want to do a contract.

All of them have spotty coverage......different ones couldnt reach Oregon, San Antonio, Connecticut, New York, Iowa....But I could get Dallas.

In the end...I broke down and went with Sprint and am completely satisfied. I don't have any credit rating and expected to pay for a phone...$0 down....$70 per month for unlimited EVERYTHING...($30 activation fee added to the first bill.)

Got a free Android but, I almost prefer my BlackBerry...which they also offered me for free.

The trick is this....DO NOT GO TO THE SPRINT STORE!!!!!! They try to make you pay for everything up front. Then make you wait for the rebate. Only go there to make payments at thier atm.

Go to Radio Shack...I couldn't believe how easy and cheap they made it.

Yes, payments are slightly more than unlimited pay as you go but the phones are WAY better and the coverage is far better than all the rest I tried.

Sprint is OK, not the best though. T-Mobile seems to be about the same.

Boost Mobile is Spints pre-paid service.

Not sure about AT&T.

Staright Talk is OK, if you don't need to talk to them, and you will need to talk to them.

Verizon seems to have the best coverage from what I hear, I may switch to them. They have pre-paid options.

cricket doesnt have a contract...
you can cancel whenever
and like i said cricket has unlimited text unlimited talk and free longdistance
and with mine i pay $30 a month

boost also has free long distance and no contract.

Something to keep in mind whilst you're out there shopping; you could get a simple phone for calls and a usb cell modem for data/ web that you can plug into a mini or laptop.
I know several railroaders that do that and used to fraternise with a trucker babe that had it.
I'm sorry I can't tell you what providers they have but it should expand your options beyond surfing on a tiny screen. And, as long as your recipients have skype, there are no phone minutes used up.
And don't feed the lizards!

can magicjack be used on a laptop???

Thanks everyone for the input. I've done some research and it looks like AT&T does have the best coverage (more so sense they just bought T-mobile) and that's the most important thing for me now.