How can I best upgrade basic to smartphone

[Pergola]

I see lots of conflicting posts about upgrading and keeping a basic plan. 

I have 3 basic phones an a shareplan 700 that is long past it's 2 yr contract and only one phone uses text, for which I pay extra for limited texts.

I qualify for upgrading all three phones under what was called upgrade every 2 yrs.

Is it really possible to keep the shareplan 700 and upgrade to 2 smartphones and pay for an add-on data plan for $30/1GB?

And adding on the data is advertised as shareable across all devices.  Does that mean devices in the account, specifically

2 smartphones?  Or does it mean devices other than a smartphone?

If it is possible then do I understand correctly that first I add-on data option to the account and then upgrade the phones?  And when I do this exactly how do I make sure I don't get switched to the new style plan?

thanks

[#2]

If you want to share data you have to move to the Share Everything plans. If you want to keep the 700 minute plan then each smartphone has to have a 2 GB data plan minimum which is $30 each.

On the Share Everything plans you can use the phones as hotspot where basically any device with wi-fi access can connect to your mobile data connection through the phone. Bear in mind any data that device uses comes off the data allotment.

[#3]

I'm assuming your keeping one basic phone and want 2 smartphones. Under the 700 minute plan pricing that should be $60 for the first line $10 each for 2 lines total $80. The you'd have to get two 2 GB data plans at $30 each. That's $60. So that would be $140 plus whatever your current texting plan costs( you didn't say ). Plus taxes/fees. No sharing of data.

Under Share Everything you'd have 3 "lines access" charges two $40 charges for the smartphones, a $30 charge for a basic phone so a total of $110. 1 GB of data would be $50 so a total of $160 plus taxes/fees. Minutes and texting would be unlimited on all lines. All 3 lines can share the data as well as any device connected via hotspot. Though I would say 1 GB is not nearly enough for 2 smartphones if you plan on using the hotspot feature.

[Pergola]

Brian:

Thanks, I'm paying $10 for the texting and your pricing assumptions are correct.  You points are well taken, it was not clear to me until now that the data under my current plan was not shareable.  Thanks for clearing that up, it pretty well demonstrates that the share everything is probably better for me.  I don't plan on using the hotspot feature and don't believe we will be doing much streaming.  Possibly a little at news sites but doubtful.  Of course, as familiarity with the device develops so may usage become greater.

If I change to a share everything then I would likely start with 2GB.

It's all much clearer

[Pergola]

Brian:

Considering that you think 1GB is not enuf for 2 phones (no hotspot use anticipated) I am wondering that if once I upgrade from 700 minute family plan to Share Everything, if I select 1GB and say, 2 months later, discover that I need to change the plan, is that a simple 'change plan' online and does it start the 2 yr contract clock all over again or is there a penalty for changing the plan from say, 1GB to 2GB?

Thanks,

[tikibar1]

Yes, you can change your data allotment any time (up or down), but to avoid proration, you'd want to make changes at the start of a billing cycle.  There is no fee (other than the change in cost from 1 GB to 2 GB) and it doesn't extend your contract.