Phone contracts can have you stuck with that provider for typically two years.   If your contract is about to expire and you want to take a different route, then look into the option where you can  pay monthly phone deals.  This is also called pay-as-you-go and allows you to not be tied down to one provider.  You pay each month for the amount of minutes you want and texting can be part of that cost.  You choose what you want and are able to switch providers at the end of your month. 

In the US, the monthly phone bill is what is common but in Europe, it is the opposite. These are also known as the prepaid service and are now becoming popular in the US now.  This month to month factor is what is drawing many of the US people away from that long term contract.  Getting out of that contract is cost in the area of two hundred USD. 

Some of these US contracts do offer rollover or a flexible plan but when your allotment of minutes is not enough, you pay dearly for each minute you go over your agreed minutes.  Credit issues is another reason for people to switch to the prepaid system.  If you compare the two types of offers, you will see that Virgin Mobile is the best priced in the mobile phone industry and Sprint reseller draws in the flexible, no contract offer.