T-Mobile has been offering the myFaves calling plans for awhile, but I always thought the minutes were limited.  With a myFaves plan, you get unlimited minutes to any 5 numbers you pick.  This includes both landlines and calls to other networks.  Once a month you are allowed you update your “Fave 5″.  This sounds like a great idea at first, but what is the best way to manage your top 5 callers and what about overages?

myFaves Calling Plans

Phonalyzr is a free Android application that generates graphs about your calling habits.  By analyzing your call log, Phonalyzr is able to display detailed information into your calling habits.  With the click of a button, you can easily see who your top 5 callers are for the current billing cycle or all time.  Some of the other graphs displayed are:

My Calling Habits Day to Day

• Top Callers by Minutes
• Top Callers by Calls
• Missed vs Regular Calls
• Outbound vs. Inbound Calls
• Number of Minutes per Time
• Number of Calls per Time
• Call Length Distribution
• Usage Summary

If you have recently downloaded the new T-Mobile Android application My Account, Phonalyzr makes the perfect companion.  By combining both applications, you can instantly get your account information and make informed decisions about updating your Fave 5.  No longer will you have to worry about wasting any of your minutes or accidently going over.  Basically overnight, I now see the increased value of myFaves.  Most users do burn the majority of their minutes on a circle of friends and Phonalyzer proves this visually.

I try to answer my phone.

Once you enter your billing cycle into Phonalyzr, you can identify trends from month to month.  This is extremely useful in managing your Fave 5 and keeping the top callers at the top of your list.  By activly monitoring your account and usage, you can then downgrade to a smaller pool of minutes and save money on your monthly bill.  T-Mobile recently offered a $49 unlimited minutes plan to loyal customers, but it has not become available for new users.

The T-Mobile G1 has many critics, but a strong argument can be made that it is the most powerful and the most affordable smartphone to use.  Allow us to compare the G1 with the current smartphone king: the iPhone from AT&T Wireless.  Which one will give you a cheaper monthly bill and still include all the features you want?  The results may surprise some of you.

HTC G1:  $97.99 from Amazon
Cheapest Minutes Plan:  $39.99 for myFaves 300
Unlimited Data + 400 Txt Plan:  $24.99
Unlimited Data Plan + Unlimited Txt:  $34.99

Apple iPhone 8GB:  $199 from AT&T Wireless
Cheapest Minutes Plan:  $39.99 for Rollover 450
Unlimited Data Plan:  $30.00
Unlimited Txt Plan:  $20.00
Cheapest Txt Plan:  $5.00 for 200

Your package will vary, but if you go with the basics, the G1 is cheaper.  The basic minutes plans are the same, but the G1 hardware is half the price.    T-Mobile has a cheaper data plan than AT&T, plus 400 txt messages are included.  Customers opting for unlimited data and txt will save $15 a month with T-Mobile.  If you are looking for the most affordable smartphone currently available, I highly recommend the G1.

[Video via YouTube]

Join the Android revolution.  Purchase your T-Mobile G1 from Amazon for only $97.99.