| MP3 ringtones, otherwise known as Truetones or | | | | If the reader has purchased a Realtone, they aren't |
| Realtones, are the most popular form of ringtone. This | | | | alone - over 24 million mobile customers have |
| comes as no surprise since nearly every cell phone | | | | purchased and used this higher quality format |
| produced in the past few years has built in support for | | | | according to a study conducted in mid 2006. This |
| this new, high-quality ringtone format. | | | | transitional phase has been compared to CDs and |
| What makes MP3 ringtones so popular? Undoubtedly | | | | cassette tapes. |
| the quality is the first reason, but also the incredible | | | | Gone are the days of dial tones - remember what |
| variety of ringtone selections available via the cell | | | | one of those sounds like? But soon enough we might |
| phone's built in browsers (or "media malls"), the ability to | | | | have trouble remembering what an actual ring sounds |
| send tones from one phone to another, and the even | | | | like, coming from the other end of the phone line when |
| larger selection available from the internet. It is very | | | | you make a call. Since the popularity of MP3 ringtones |
| easy for an owner of a newer cell phone to have | | | | has exploded in the past few years, another |
| ringtones sent directly from their internet-connected | | | | customization option has been made available for cell |
| PC to their phone. This is possible either with the | | | | users: the Ringback tone. Instead of hearing the usual |
| cables that should have came packaged with the | | | | ring when waiting for the second party to answer a |
| phone, or by signing up with many of the online | | | | call, the caller will hear a personalized "ring," most often |
| ringtone services - which enables the user to have | | | | a song. |
| ringtones sent directly to their phone without fussing | | | | The functionality and customizable options for cell |
| with any form of hard wires. | | | | phones has continued to grow, and will continue to do |
| MP3 ringtones are responsible for over three quarters | | | | so until the next paradigm in telephony communications |
| of all customizable digital cell phone purchases. One | | | | - one can only wonder what will be available in just a |
| might recall the older forms of ringtones available in the | | | | few years time. However, for the time being, and |
| infancy of cellular communications - the monophonic or | | | | more than likely for quite some time, MP3 ringtones will |
| polyphonic ringtones, and the relatively short-lived midi | | | | be the best option for any person interested in having |
| tones. Since the inception of Truetones, these formats | | | | a ringtone that is not only a form of self expression, |
| have lost popularity and account for less than a | | | | but is cheap and high-quality. |
| quarter of all ringtone purchases. | | | | |