The ringtone debate
Anyone who owns Apple’s new iPhone can appreciate its ringtone option – buy exclusively through iTunes for $ .99 a piece, add a few pennies here and there, and get your ringtone for less than $ 2. However. , a conflict is brewing between mobile phone providers, as companies like T-Mobile and Verizon charge between $ 2.50 and $ 3 and more for individual ringtone downloads.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to discover the animosity that various mobile phone providers may feel towards Apple in general. Not only do iPhone users have access to an innovative and high-tech cell phone, they can also incorporate all forms of multimedia and entertainment functions into their mobile devices. As phone sales skyrocket, many wonder how the ringtone industry will be affected.
Since individual carrier costs take some of the change out of cell phone users’ pockets every time they download a ringtone, many are using ringtone services. Companies like DadaMobile charge a monthly subscription fee whereby members can download unlimited ringtones, games, and even additional SMS messaging capabilities.
DadaMobile and Blinko provide ringtone service to all types of carriers, from Cingular and Verizon to T-Mobile and Nextel. Those of us who don’t have access to iTunes via iPhone can have an equally diverse collection of ringtones, all while saving money by avoiding purchasing individual ringtones through our mobile phone provider. If you find yourself changing your ringtones periodically throughout a given week, your best bet would be to sign up for a third-party ringtone service.
