T-Mobile launches MyFaves

T-Mobile released MyFaves today, a new cell phone software package that the company refers to as a new "wireless communication experience." MyFaves lets you have up to five photos or icons that illustrate your five most favorite people on the phone's home screen, and here's the kicker: You can get unlimited nationwide any-network calling to any of those five people, even if they're on another network or on a landline. However, there will be a monthly fee; starting at $39.99 per month for individuals or $69.99 per month for families. And you can change each of the five people only once per calendar month. Also, not all phones will be compatible with the service; presumably because the device would have to support the MyFaves user interface, though T-Mobile plans to have most of its phones MyFaves compatible by the end of the year.

This concept isn't entirely new. Alltel has had a similar My Circle service for a while now, which lets you add up to 10 friends in an unlimited any-network plan. Alltel is a regional carrier, though, making T-Mobile the first national carrier to have this type of service. All of which begs the question: if you really call only five people on a regularly...