Posted on: Tuesday, March 1, 2005
HELP DESK
Putting that new ring on a cell phone
By Kim Komando
Tired of your cell phone's mundane ring tones? Several Web sites offer tones that range from sheer irritations to tunes by today's top artists. But not all ring tones are created equal, nor will they work on all wireless phones.
There are five types of ring tones. Monophonic is the most basic. It plays a series of computer-generated notes one at a time. As the name suggests, polyphonic ring tones allow multiple notes. However, these ring tones still sound inferior to Super Tones.
Three different types of ring tones fall into the category of Super Tones. Music Tones are actual snippets of musical hits. In a Voice Tone, you hear the voices of celebrities or comedians. And there are Sound Effect ring tones.
Before shopping for a tone, check to see what types are compatible with your phone model. For example, I wanted Johnny Cash's "I Walk the Line," which is in Music Tones format, but my NEC camera phone will only accept polyphonic tones.
If you are not sure of your phone's make and model, turn it off and remove the battery cover. The model number is usually printed on the label underneath.
To find out what types of tones you can download to your phone, check your wireless carrier's Web site. Most sell ring tones. Typically, after you type in your cell number or make and model, only compatible tones are shown. Most providers also let you download free tones you can use to test compatibility with your phone.
If your wireless carrier's site isn't helpful, check out Zingy.com, which sells ring tones. In the site's help area, www.zingy.com/help.php, you can select your wireless carrier and get a table of cell phones and compatible tones. Once you know what tones work with your phone, you can buy a couple. Monophonic tones usually cost about 99 cents each and polyphonics run about $1.99. Expect to pay around $2.50 for a Super Tone.
If you choose to download a ring tone, you also may be charged for kilobytes or minutes used while downloading, depending on your phone's wireless plan.
Once you select a tone, you need to install it on your phone. At some sites, you send a text message from your phone to the site. The message includes the number assigned to the specific ring tone you want to buy. You confirm the purchase by a return message and the ring tone is sent to your phone and the charge appears on your mobile phone bill.
Other sites simply require your telephone number, and they will send the tone to your phone's inbox and bill your account.
If you cannot find a tone you like on your mobile provider's site, check QTones (www.qtones.com), Jamster (www.jamster.com) and Ring Tone JukeBox (www.ringtonejukebox.com). MTV and VH1 also offer downloadable ring tones.
Most sites allow you to send a ring tone as a gift. You select the recipient's phone make and model as well as the ring tone and enter the cell number.
While the charge for the tone will appear on your cell bill, the recipient may be charged for downloads or airtime. Don't send a tone gift unless you are confident the recipient won't mind or you are sure their wireless plan offers unlimited downloads.
