Its a good idea to get one or something like it.  Various companies have different plans.  I decided on a T-mobile phone because it allowed me to get the cheapest price per month which is what I wanted given that I will be using a small amount of minutes.  T-modile also let you register right on-line.

I've never fully understood how Trac Phones or disposable phones work. When you activate one of these phones you don't give your name so on a caller ID, only your phone number is displayed but not your name. Providers invariably specify that they don't accept blocked calls but apparently a call that only displays the number, not the caller name is OK? I guess I don't understand what sense of security this gives the lady.