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Google Play Services isn't just an app - it is now an essential part of the Android Eco System and means that the operating system can be updated in individual components rather than just one single big update. As such it marks a significant improvement in how Android will evolve and was announced in detail at Google I/O last year.
Android already knows everything about your phone and can already make a phone call - there is nothing new here, no conspiracy and nothing to worry about.
Other members of the community may well be along to give a more technical answer but it'll be the same message.
You will make whatever decision you feel is right for you. But with all due respect to the people you spoke to, they probably had no idea what they were looking at. Networks have no involvement in Android or how it works. They do have an involvement in making sure that each handset's radio software works with their network but that's it.
If you want to know more the best place is to post a question on specialist Android forums like XDA or Android Central. There are lots of people there that do know what they're talking about.
It would be a shame to take a backwards step by moving to an inferior OS over a misplaced concern.
To give you a real world example of why you shouldn't worry about these permissions:
I play a Racing Game called Real Racing 3. In the last year Google introduced a process whereby you can interact with fellow game players and share scores, progression, screenshots and in some cases play against people in real time.
This ability needs to allow System level permissions. To see which of my friends play the same game as me the System will need access to the Phone app in order to read my contacts. This is not about making Phone calls without my knowledge!
If I take a screenshot of my game, I can share that to Social media sites. This will use the Messaging permissions but again does not mean the Phone is sending texts messages without my knowledge...
Historically the description of App permissions is woefully simplistic to the point where it becomes pointless; But it does satisfy a legal requirement to be transparent.
I think your concern stems from a lack of understanding of how the Android System actually works and how different levels of system processes are called upon and interact with each other.
There are some great video's on Youtube that explain much better than I can with diagrams and animated sequences to demonstrate the Operating System at work.
The Phone has no intelligence of it's own, so it can't decide to Phone or message someone without your knowledge.
The operator (you) does not have Administrator priviledge on Android, that is what Rooting the Phone allows. It also means that things like Viruses can have little to no effect because the core functions cannot be accessed.
You are right to be vigilant with permissions but there is absolutely nothing to worry about here
Google Play Services cannot dial a number on it's own from your Phone...!
As I said, these Permissions are extremely vague and usually refer to the main Function being called but in reality only needs access to a small minor process to do what it needs.
