Ringtones FAQ
On this page we answer frequently asked questions about cell phones and ringtones.
Does every cell phone offer unique, programmable ringtones?
No, not every cell phone offers programmable or unique ringtones, although that is a feature that's becoming more common all the time. Most older cell phones don't offer programmable ringtones. Most newer cell phones do offer programmable ringtones. Before purchasing a new cell phone, clarify the answer to this question with the salesperson who's selling you the phone.
Where can I get ringtones for my cell phone?
You can get ringtones for your cell phone from a lot of different sources. Some of them are reviewed on this site, and those ringtone services include Thumbplay, Jamster, and MTV Ringtones, among others. You can also find sites offering free ringtones, but be careful of ringtone scams. As with any other product, buyer beware is good advice for people wanting to purchase cell phone ringtones.
How many ringtones can I have in my cell phone?
The number of ringtones you can have in your cell phone vary according to the model. Some older models can only have one customized ringtone, while some newer models allow quite a few. This is another good question to ask the salesperson, as the answer is always, "It depends."
How much do ringtones cost?
Ringtones can cost as little as nothing and as much as $5.99 or more. Most of the services we review on this site offer monthly memberships where you can get 10 ringtones a month for $9.99, so $1 per ringtone is a pretty good estimate for the median cost of a ringtone. It's worth mentioning that the default cell phone ringtone is always free. (Well, you pay for the phone, but that comes with a ringtone.)
How do copyrights apply to ringtones?
Any time a song is used as a ringtone, copyright laws apply. Most reputable ringtone companies pay some type of royalty every time someone downloads a particular ringtone. You rarely need to worry about the copyright issues involved with a cell phone ringtone, but if you are worried about such a thing, just stick with the default ringtone. There's nothing wrong with being cautious about such things.
What is a polyphonic ringtone?
A polyphonic ringtone is a ringtone which uses multiple notes simultaneously. The difference between a polyphonic ringtone and a monophonic ringtone is the number of notes that can be broadcast from the speaker at one time. The more advanced, better sounding ringtones are all polyphonic ringtones.
How do I compose my own ringtone?
Yes, you can compose your own ringtone. You just need to create a piece of music or sound in the appropriate file format and then convert it to a ringtone. Some formats include MIDI, MP3, etc.
Is switching from a landline to a cell phone a good idea?
Switching from a landline to a cell phone can be a good idea in some circumstances and a bad idea in other circumstances. Landline costs can be pretty high for local service compared to the cost of using a cell phone, so some people go completely wireless with their telephone technology.
Some people might be in situations where they DON'T want to make this switch from the landline to the cell phone. For example, if you want to keep your home phone number, you might not be able to if you switch to a cell phone. Check with your phone company and your cell phone company before making the switch to be sure.
Also, be sure to compare your cell phone rates with your landline rates before making the switch. We write in generalities here, but everyone's situation is unique.
How do I contact customer support for my cell phone carrier?
The easiest way to contact customer support for your cell phone carrier is to call their toll free number. Here are some of the more common cell phone carriers' contact information:
- Contact customer support at Sprint at (888) 211-4PCS
- Contact customer support at Verizon Wireless at (800) 922-0204
- Contact customer support at AT&T at (800) 331-0500
- Contact customer support at T-Mobile at (800) 937-8997
You should make sure that you get information about how to contact customer service at your cell phone company when you purchase your cellular phone.
How much does it cost to switch to another cell phone service?
The cost to switch to another cell phone service varies according to which cell phone service you're using now and which cell phone service you're switching to. The price also depends on what kind of contract you agreed to when you set up your cell phone service. If you don't have the paperwork, you can easily contact customer service at your cell phone company for details regarding your particular contract.
Recent content updates:
Here are some of our most recently added and most important pages of content:
- Cell Phones and Ringtones Glossary Definitions of terms, jargon, and phrases related to the cell phones and ringtones industry.
- How Much Do Ringtones Cost? A look at what it costs to get ringtones and also how ringtone services charge their customers.
- Abnormal, Absurd, and Abrasive Ringtones Lots of people's ringtones offend me. In this article, I discuss which ringtones annoy me and why.
- Understanding Prepaid Cell Phones Decide whether or not a prepaid cell phone is a good option for you after reading this article about the basics of getting started with a prepaid cell phone and the common pitfalls to be aware of.
- Pay as You Go Cell Phones The advantages and disadvantages of using a pay as you go cell phone plan instead of a more traditional subscriber based service.
- How Much Do Pre Paid Cell Phones Cost Looks at the costs, benefits, and drawbacks of using pre paid cell phone plans.
- Cheap Cell Phone Plans Deciding on an affordable cell phone plan based on what kind of cell phone usage you expect to have.
- Japanese Cell Phones A look at the advanced technology used in Japanese cell phones and why they're not more popular in the rest of the world.
- The Newest Cell Phones 2010 A look at some of the latest Android powered cell phones coming out in 2010.
- Should Cell Phones Be Allowed in Schools Looks at the pros and cons of allowing cell phone use in schools.
- Cell Phone Signatures How to come up with unique, personalized cell phone signatures when you're texting your friends and family.