Mobile Phone help please

Okay... so the first big purchase for the job I need to make is a mobile phone. (shaddup, I know, I know)
This was a goal of mine about a month ago, but what I need in a phone has changed. Instead of just local, now I need long distance and txting, possibly e-mail.

So, what carriers and/or phones do you wise people of the interwebs suggest? AT&T? Alltel? Sprint? Any one know price ranges?

Thanks!