I currently resarched and bought a Straight Talk phone. The phone is a little expensive at first, (for a smart phone). In the end I think it is totally worth it though. Their unlimited plan, which is unlimited talk, text, and internet is only $45 per month! That is a great deal. They carry any phone you could possibly want they even have the I-Phone 5! It is a great plan and I have never had any problems with cell phone reception, dropped calls, or their customer service. Overall it will save you hundreads if you switch from your contract phone deal. Go get one! They only offer this at Walmart though.
They seem to have a pretty good thing going on. I think it's nice for those who can't qualify for contracts or who just want a fast and easy and affordable phone!
I got my sister one of these phones for free through the straight talk website. Sometimes they have deals. They're not usually the highest end phones, but they're still smart phones. She hasn't had any trouble with her service, although I made sure I found her a Verizon compatible phone so that she wouldn't end up with issues with her service while she was away at school. You can't beat the monthly price either, $45 for unlimited everything is a great deal.
