I mentioned in my other post about the number situation. I didn't quite catch why the number needs to be a NJ number. See the other post on my comments related to this. In other words, with a national plan,... it shouldn't matter what the number is. Especially since you have to dial 11 numbers now for almost any number you dial. Just try to get something memorable.

To sum up the issue about the temp need for the phone. In this day and age, with all the benefits of using the mobile phones to save minutes, time, call anywhere from anywhere.... Even if it just sits in the bottom of her purse, it might be worth the extra cost for an innexpensive phone and the $20 additional line fee. Like I said about my Girlfriend, It is a good peace of mind that if she is in trouble, she has a way to call for help. Or, if I am out with my father, going to church or something and he falls and his hip goes out in a parking lot, or if my family needs to reach me when I am out for the evening, that I can be reached or call for help. I have several friends who have spouses, significant others or children that have started to add lines to their existing accounts, so that their loved one(s) have a way to be in contact if necessary. With these plans becoming more affordable, they are almost too valubable to pass up. Especially with Verizon and their America's Choice for National calls, IN Network if you have other friends or family on the network or the Family Share for the additional phones in your family.

Otherwise, the only other possibilities that I can think of is that Virgin and some other companies have prepackaged phones that you can get with pre-paid accounts. You might be able to pick one of those up at a Best Buy or somewhere near where you will be going. I have never looked into the prices though so I don't know that the phones are that cheap. It just seems, if you are spending 50 or a hundred bucks for a phone, it doesn't make sense to just use it for a couple months and turn it off or throw it away. And, if you are going to reactivate it from time to time or decide to keep it on at a minimum rate, $20 to add a line to your existing Verizon account is prabably on par with that.

Just spitballing some thougths, as a friend of mine frequently says.... Whatever you decide, hope you find something that is a good fit for your needs.