| Ringtones originally were a take-what-you-get | | | | |
| feature associated with the purchase of a new | | | | T Mobile has several options to purchase for |
| cell phone. Currently, phones come with an | | | | use as a ringtones listed in four categories: |
| assortment of built-in ring tones, with | | | | MegaTones, HiFi Ringers, CallerTunes, and |
| capabilities to store countless more. | | | | Voices & Sounds. MegaTones offer |
| | | | variations of current favorite songs arranged |
| Cell phones have become an extension of our | | | | with instruments while HiFi Ringers feature |
| individual persona, and as such are a | | | | snippets of songs by popular artists. |
| billboard of self expression. Just as someone | | | | CallerTunes and Voices & Sounds offer |
| might decorate their home for individual | | | | options offering songs "of your choice", or |
| national holidays, so will they upload | | | | "sound effects, celebrity voices, and more." |
| ringtones appropriate for certain times of | | | | |
| the year. Accordingly, cell phone providers | | | | AT&T hosts a Media Mall on its website |
| offer music fitting for a particular holiday | | | | offering a plethora of musical ringtone |
| on their websites. | | | | options, featuring mostly popular Top 40 |
| | | | songs under the Music Tones option. Under the |
| With popular services such as the iTunes | | | | voice tones option one can choose "voice |
| online store, any Top 40 pop song can become | | | | tones" with celebrities such as Erik Estrada |
| a personal ringtone for $1.98. In addition, | | | | telling you to pick up the phone. "Holiday |
| when a song is downloaded from iTunes to be | | | | Fun" is another tab under the Music Tones |
| used as a ringtone, it can be also be stored | | | | tab, offering Independence Day and Christmas |
| on a PC as an mp3, eliminating the need to | | | | songs. Under "Celebrity Ringers", choosing a |
| pay for the song twice. | | | | clip is merely a decision between which South |
| | | | Park and Larry the Cable Guy episode has your |
| Cell phone providers also occasionally offer | | | | favorite sound clip. There are also several |
| ringtones based on the demographic of the | | | | unique sound effects to choose from, such as |
| cell phone network area. A cell phone company | | | | a door creaking open and a crowd cheering. |
| in the southern U.S. such as Southernlinc | | | | Each musical song chosen for purchase as a |
| might offer songs popular for that region. | | | | ringtone through AT&T costs $2.49/per |
| One such song, (featured by Southernlinc) is | | | | song, while voice tones, sound effects, and |
| 'A Country Boy Can Survive' by Hank Williams. | | | | polyphonic sounds cost $1.99/each. |
| With Southernlinc songs are $1.49/per | | | | |
| download unless on sale. Most songs | | | | Cricket offers a service called "Ringback |
| downloaded for use as a ringtone typically | | | | Tones", which offers a catalog brimming with |
| cost $.99/per song and up. Sprint PCS has a | | | | options. Music can be bought for a ringtone |
| wide ranging variety of songs organized in a | | | | at an average price of $1.99/per song, with |
| vast catalog, and are available to purchase | | | | an expiration date of six months, which is a |
| for $2.50/per song. | | | | stand alone feature of Cricket. The catalog |
| | | | options with Cricket however, are more varied |
| Another useful feature offered by several | | | | than competing cell phone companies; the |
| websites are programs with the ability to | | | | catalog boasts 14 categories alone from which |
| assist you in composing an original score for | | | | to choose your ringtone. Among the 14 are: |
| your phone. In addition, with the current | | | | "What's Hot", "Top 10", "Urban", "Country", |
| integration of technology between prime time | | | | "Comedy". "Movies/TV", and "Sports". |
| T.V. shows and corporate television websites | | | | |
| online gives cell phone users the ability to | | | | The options for cell phone ringtones are |
| download the theme song from a particularly | | | | endless. Songs can easily be purchased |
| well loved show. | | | | through the individual cell phone retailer or |
| | | | on any number of websites on the Internet. |
| Many cell phone ringtones are available to | | | | Your ringtone can represent your personality |
| download for free from various commercial and | | | | playing your favorite hit song every time the |
| independently owned websites. Every cell | | | | phone "rings", or your favorite the time of |
| phone provider offers a link to download | | | | year through seasonal song. Whichever you |
| ringtones on the providers' website. Some | | | | choose, your options are as multi-faceted as |
| cell phone companies contract with specific | | | | you. |
| artists to feature current albums or popular | | | | |
| newly released songs. For example, Verizon | | | | *not responsible for prices quoted as they |
| Wireless currently features artists such as | | | | constantly change. |
| PHISH, Led Zeppelin, and Belinda Carlisle. | | | | |