Need help with texting

I hope I can find some answers and directions from the community.
I live in a fringe area and there is no cell signal here at home but friends who visit can receive and send text messages.

Being Tech challenged and all thumbs in my senior years I need a phone that is good for texting. I do not want a Smart phone and do not have a data plan but I do have text abilities in the plan I have.

I would like to find a decent phone that is text friendly with rather large keys or touch screen numbers/letters. I don't need or want email unless this is necessary and the phone need not have a great camera or camera at all. I just want something that is nice for sending and receiving text messages and for making and receiving an occasional phone call. I am on the Verizon network and a few miles up the road I can get enough signal for phone service. I already tried the signal extender/booster gadgets and they cannot boost a signal that is not here. I don't quite understand how texting is possible but it is.

Thanks for any help

Gary L

 

Thanks Max. I have 2 phones given to me by my brother who lives where he has a need and the signal foe the newest IPhones. One is an LG Model VX9800 and the other is also LG Model VX9100M. Both are is like new condition but are either of these worth the bother of hooking up?
I will look around for a GZ one Brigade and check them out but I need to get something to work with while I search.

Gary L

 

Thanks again Max. I'll assume the VX9800 is the newer of the two and will get that one on my plan for now.

 

Thanks again Max for all your help. I have a few more questions if you can help. The LG VX9100 phone my brother gave me is brand new and has all the stuff it came with so I plan to just use this one instead of the VX9800 that I will need some accessories for.
I have downloaded the owners manual for the 9100 to make it larger and easier to read.

You mention, "external antenna or direct connect amplifier as well to enhance coverage". Can you point me to these accessories, What each does, where it plugs in on the phone and where to buy them?

A new tower has been erected about 3 miles from my home but it is AT&T and not sure if Verizon will jump on or not just yet. The tower should be operational very soon and I am trying to find out what I can about the service it may or may Not provide for me. If Verizon gets a presence I just might get some signal here at home.

 

I went there Max but this is probably better to discuss in a different area. I would have no idea how to determine what I might need, what may or may Not help me here or if anything will work for my particular area.
What I do know is that my neighbor did try some sort of signal booster he installed out on a pole about 30 feet high and spent quite a sum and a few hours and in the end he still had zero signal. Based on what he said, a booster is only good if there is a signal to boost. When we power on our phones here we get "Searching for Service" and nothing more.
The new tower is about 3 miles line of sight from my home and we don't know if it will give us any signal but so far what we do know is the tower is AT&T and we don't know if Verizon will have a dish on it yet. When it comes on line in the next few weeks I will have a friend who uses the AT&T network come here and see what he gets. So far, Verizon refuses to answer any questions regarding this tower. I did post a discussion in the tower hunting section.