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