| Forget the days of hearing that generic cell phone | | | | month, you can download and store up to 15 |
| ring that made you anxiously reach into your | | | | CallerTunes; or, for $1.99 per tune, you can |
| purse and fumble for your phone. In today's age | | | | choose your tunes for a one-time download fee. |
| of individualization, no one has reason to suffer | | | | Verizon Wireless |
| through homogenous rings with the abundant | | | | Verizon also offers thousands of ringtones and |
| supply of websites and providers that offer | | | | ringback tones for download. Verizon calls its |
| ringtones that can personalize your otherwise | | | | ringtones VZW Tones, which are available on all |
| ordinary cell phone. Have a song that you love to | | | | Get It Now enabled cellular phones or online at |
| listen to? Hop online and search for that specific | | | | Verizon's website. Verizon phones and its website |
| tune and chances are you'll find a ringtone to go | | | | allow users to preview ringtones and browse by |
| with it. Then, customize the ringtone to play only | | | | different categories (like "What's Hot" and "What's |
| the part you want to hear when friends call - or, | | | | New). Ringtones are handset specific, so before |
| assign a specific ringtone to one particular person. | | | | purchasing a ringtone, be sure to check that your |
| The options are endless. | | | | phone is compatible with your chosen tunes. |
| There are only a few criteria to consider when | | | | When ready to purchase, users can preview |
| choosing what website to download ringtones | | | | ringtones, add to an online cart, and agree to |
| from. First, be sure that your cell phone is | | | | have the $2.99 fee added to his/her next bill. Each |
| compatible with the ringtone you've chosen. | | | | ringtone is available for $2.99. Although it's |
| Verizon users, for example, can be assured that | | | | tempting to search for free ringtone downloads |
| any tune downloaded from Verizon's website will | | | | on the plethora of ringtone websites out there, |
| work with their phone. If you're considering using | | | | users should beware: Verizon blocks ringtones |
| any other website or service, be sure to check | | | | from any site other than its "Get It Now" |
| and see that your phone will be capable of | | | | platform from downloading to any of its phones. |
| receiving and playing your ringtone. Secondly, be | | | | AT&T (formerly Cingular Wireless) |
| sure that sound quality is acceptable. Most | | | | AT&T offers subscribers the option to join |
| websites will allow you to preview a ringtone | | | | the Tone Club, a service that allows you to |
| before making a purchase. Thirdly, make sure | | | | download ringtones every month at a discount. |
| that you understand how and when you will be | | | | Subscribers can choose from a 3- , 6-, or 9-pack |
| charged for your purchase. Most major service | | | | set. This service is available as a monthly |
| providers will add any ringtone purchases to your | | | | subscription that ranges from $5.99 to $9.99 per |
| next month's bill. Once you have these three | | | | month. Charges incurred from the Tone Club |
| bases covered, hop online and get ready to jazz | | | | appear on monthly bills. AT&T also offers a |
| up your cell phone! | | | | MyMEdia Club, a feature that you can add to your |
| SouthernLINC | | | | account that allows you to download ringtones, |
| SouthernLINC Wireless offers a broad range of | | | | graphics and games from the AT&T Media |
| ringtones, wallpapers, calltones and applications. | | | | Mall or directly from your phone for a monthly |
| Many users will find that in order to download | | | | subscription fee that ranges from $5.99 to $14.99. |
| much of the offered content, they will need to | | | | To download ringtones from AT&T, first |
| perform a software upgrade on their phones; this | | | | ensure that you have a compatible phone (visit |
| is easily accomplished by visiting Motorola's | | | | the AT&T website to search for your phone |
| website and installing the necessary upgrades for | | | | and ensure that you have a model that will |
| the relevant model phone. Like other providers, | | | | support the ringtones you want). For those who |
| SouthernLINC allows subscribers to choose from | | | | aren't interested in a subscription service, you can |
| excerpted music, polyphonic rings, celebrity voices | | | | purchase ringtones a la carte for a one-time fee |
| and unique sounds for ringtones. Ringtones cost | | | | of $2.49; AT&T also charges for the number |
| $1.99 for the one-time download fee and are | | | | of kilobytes or minutes used for the download. |
| yours to keep for an unlimited amount of time. | | | | Charges for ringtones are reflected on monthly |
| For phones that are capable of supporting digital | | | | wireless bills. AT&T customers can search |
| content, SouthernLINC offers a plethora of | | | | for ringtones in one of three ways: online at the |
| applications that are unique amongst its | | | | AT&T Wireless website, on cellular phones |
| competitors. Users can choose from financial | | | | via Media Net (your wireless phone's version of |
| solutions content, navigation and direction | | | | the internet), or via text messaging. Once the |
| software, sports & entertainment platforms, | | | | ringtone is transmitted to your phone, you'll |
| and news & weather sources, just to name | | | | receive a series of prompts that will indicate how |
| a few. Browsing for content for your specific | | | | to save your ringtone as a default or a specific |
| phone model is easy with SouthernLINC's handy | | | | setting. |
| filter feature. Customers can access all available | | | | Cricket |
| downloads by visiting the "Browser Apps" function | | | | Cricket offers countless downloads through its |
| on a mobile device or on SouthernLINC's website. | | | | web browsers on all web-enabled phones, allowing |
| Cell phone subscribers will appreciate | | | | Cricket users to customize their phones with the |
| SouthernLINC's user-friendly purchasing process. | | | | hottest games, tunes and applications around. To |
| When you are ready to buy a ringtone, | | | | make buying even easier, Cricket offers a simple |
| application, or game, you can preview your | | | | click and buy process on its mobile phones, |
| purchase, click the "go" button, enter your phone | | | | allowing customers to easily purchase and install |
| number and you're finished. Within a few minutes, | | | | their downloads in just a few short minutes. For |
| you'll receive a text message with a link to the | | | | customers who are unsure if their phone supports |
| tone or application and directions for installing it | | | | downloads, be sure to visit Cricket's website and |
| onto your phone. | | | | view the list of compatible phones, which include |
| Sprint | | | | Kyocera, Motorola, Nokia and Samsung models. |
| Similar to SouthernLINC, Sprint Mobile also offers | | | | Other Download Sources |
| a variety of personalized ringtones (called ringers) | | | | Of course cell phone users aren't limited to their |
| and calltones through its website and cellular | | | | service providers for the latest in ringtones. |
| phones. Unlike other cellular providers, Sprint | | | | Music-based websites like MTV, iTunes and Vh1 |
| offers subscribers a free ringer for the holidays | | | | are cashing in on consumers urges to personalize |
| on its website. Sprint's ringer webpage, Digital | | | | their mobile phones by offering excusive |
| Lounge, resembles any other online CD or music | | | | ringtones, graphics and games. Vh1, for instance, |
| website with its sophisticated filter and search | | | | offers ringtones from many of its popular shows, |
| functions, graphical CD covers, and all of the | | | | content that is not available through any of the |
| hottest music. Sprint's genres are expansive and | | | | major wireless carriers. In order to download |
| appeal to nearly every consumer group by | | | | content from VH1, you must be a T-Mobile, |
| including everything from "Indie Greats" to "Songs | | | | Cingular, or AT&T subscriber and have a |
| for Baby Boomers." Downloads from the Digital | | | | phone that can play either polyphonic tones or |
| Lounge are $2.50 and appear on Sprint's monthly | | | | digitones, depending on what you are purchasing. |
| bills. The Digital Lounge offers much more than | | | | The good news for consumers is that they will |
| just ringers; you'll also find screensavers, themes | | | | not be charged for purchasing an application or |
| and games. One unique feature in the Digital | | | | ringtone that isn't compatible with their phone. |
| Lounge is the Content Manager, where | | | | Ringtones from VH1 are $1.99 each. |
| subscribers can organize all of their downloads, | | | | MTV and iTunes offer the latest in ringtone |
| preview audio clips of ringers and call tones, watch | | | | content by updating their websites daily. To date, |
| previews of new television shows, and resend | | | | Verizon, Cingular, T-Mobile and Sprint customers |
| purchases to new phones after upgrading cell | | | | can purchase from the MTV mobile store. iTunes, |
| phone models. | | | | the behemoth of all online music providers, offers |
| T-Mobile | | | | an extensive library of ringtones that are only |
| T-Mobile offers subscribers a variety of ringtone | | | | compatible with Apple's iPhone, serviced through |
| options, including MegaTones, instrumental | | | | AT&T Wireless. These ringtones are $0.99 |
| ringtones of favorite songs; HiFi Ringers, short | | | | each. iTunes allows you to create ringtones from |
| clips of actual artist recordings; and CallerTunes, | | | | songs in the iTunes Store or your music library. |
| ringback tones that callers hear when calling your | | | | Newer arrivals to the ringtone scene include |
| phone. MegaTones downloads are $1.99 each and | | | | Jamster.com, Mixxer.com, Thumbplay.com, and |
| can be downloaded by going to "t-zones" on your | | | | Flycell.com, all of which provide membership |
| ringtone-capable phone and browsing the | | | | subscription plans and a huge variety of genres |
| MegaTones category or by logging onto My | | | | from which to pick. Users of all major carriers can |
| T-Mobile. T-Mobile's HiFi Ringers are excerpts from | | | | easily be accommodated by one of these |
| hit songs by today's top-selling artists at $2.49 | | | | websites. |
| each. CallerTunes allow you to entertain your | | | | *Not responsible for pricing as they change often, |
| callers by playing excerpts from original artist | | | | visit the websites to get current pricing and |
| recordings - and, you can set different | | | | offerings information. |
| CallerTunes for different people. For only $1.49 a | | | | |