dryfly - We have Verizon. I have a Motorola Android smartphone, my wife has an almost new iPhone 6+. In my opinion both Android and Apple make very good systems. So does Microsoft.
I use Android because I have 3 gmail accounts for email and gmail works with Android better than iPhone. My wife has an iPhone because she plays games on her iPad and the phone has the same system.
I also like Motorola because their phones are very ruggedly built. I have had several and the last two have had kevlar on the outside. This is the same stuff as bulletproof vests.
Don't pooh pooh having a smartphone. They do all kinds of stuff. I use mine as a hotspot for wifi. I used it as a GPS. I use it as a calendar with reminders built in. I use it as an alarm clock. I have taken thousands of pictures and videos with mine. Just my humble opinion, but I think the smartphone is the most useful piece of tech gear you can own.