This argument is never ending, there's no right answer and people are successful with both, but I'll give my opinion, thoughts and technique.

If a girl is too scared to answer the phone to you, she's not likely to want to meet up with you in person from a text convo.

Most guys that get a number are too scared to ring a girl and talk to her, by doing so you show you have balls and are more confident than them.

If a girl does answer her phone to your call, your in control and can make her laugh, build comfort get a date, remind her that your fucking awesome and have her thinking about you constantly in a much shorter period of time, than trying to do it by txt.

Initiating text conversations is needy, she's having to reply to you and your taking her precious time ect, making a phone call and having a chat is sharing each others company and your giving that to her on your terms.

I always ring between 7-9 in the evenings, unless I have specific reason to do otherwise.

Either way text or call your going to get flakes, where they don't answer or reply, don't blame it on the method, to many other things it could be, the biggest one being your initial interaction wasn't good enough.

Personally I hate texting, I tell girls this and tell them I will ring them instead, so they know I'm going to do so and not to bother texting me ten times a day as I just wont reply. This shows I'm not needy, my time is precious and I do things on my terms.

The fact that girls find the initial thought of speaking to you on the phone a little uncomfortable and scary is good and works in your favour. Before they answer they will have a little rush of excitement, be a bit nervous and unsure of what's going to happen, much like if you approach them in street or whatever. You want to be the person who excites them, not the guy who becomes a chore to reply to and she has little connection to. On this point exciting texts are good but the content is still more powerful if you say it (i.e Phil's I'm going to fuck you hard or whatever).

Texting has it's place and I do it occasionally and as many people have mentioned, it's handy for telling if she is able to answer the phone, but all in all do what I can to avoid it as much as possible as I find it's time consuming, annoying and has few real advantages over making a call.