You cant beat the local or Nationwide Direct Connect that Nextel offers. This will save on your minutes, and you can cut back on all the useless chit chat involved w/ most phone calls anyway. Just make sure when you get your rate plan you go w/ the unlimited Direct Connect minutes. Unfortunately most of the price plans do not come w/ Nationwide Direct Connect. You will have to add it on for an extra ten dollars a month. Their phones have gotten alot smaller in recent months too, no more bricks!