Go here. I'm sure there are other sites that do this, but this one seems to be the most complete collection.

I curse the one who invented the novelty ring

I like my phone playing the theme to Beatlejuice... or Superman... or Transformers... or..., well you get the point. It's nice to NOT have the same ring everyone else does. I always find it funny when a phone rings and everyone reaches for their phone because they all use the same ring (usually just the default Nokia ring, if they have a Nokia). Some songs just don't sound right, and can actually be quite annoying, but there are tons of good ones to choose from.

I checked this site out and got it to send some ringtones out, but my phone nokia 8290 recieved them as text messages. I have cingular service in US, was anyone able to recieve them correctly, do i have something configured incorrectly?

I don't have Cingular (I've got AT&T), but I've been able to receive them without any problems. It might have something to do with the way your providers network is configured.

I had to get a new phone, (one year disposable Nokias lately) and I haven't been able to receive ringtones from either this site or AT&T, where they charge me. It's a 6360 phone and is capable of receiving them. Gotta remember to call my friendly AT&T customer service and complain... I need Ozzy's _Crazy Train_ ringtone back!!!

I think your service provider (cell phone that is, not internet) has to be able to relay special types of SMS messages, otherwise they appear as plain text. All the providers in the UK do this as logos and ringtones appear to be big business over here. Of course, I was into upgrading operator logos long before it became cool you know!

(cell phone that is, not internet)

That's what I meant in my post, I guess I should've been clear on that.

The nice thing about different ring tones that I find nice is pairing them with caller groups. That way I have an idea of who is calling before I even get to my phone.

And 90% of the time, my phone is on silent. I usually turn the ringer on when I drop it in the charging station at home.

That way I have an idea of who is calling before I even get to my phone.

Ayup, I have one friend that calls everyday on his way home to just go "Blah blah blah." He's got his own ring tone so when I'm home, I wait for him to call the landline to blah blah blah and not waste my minutes...

Of course I get a new phone and AT&T doesn't know why I can't get the ringtones to get to my phone. They say everything is correct with it and to go by the store where I got it and have them look at it...

You're charged for incoming calls? If they did that over here, my phone bill would be even more huge!

Depending on what phone you've got, you could get a cable to plug it into your PC and upload ringtones yourself...

- Trevor

You're charged for incoming calls?

Every cell phone company that I know of here in the US charges for every minute the phone is active period. Many companies offer a "free first minute" or similar. And more carriers are allowing free calls to anyone on their network now. It does have a nice advantage though, it is illegal for any telemarketer to call me as it can cost me money for the call.

Different rings is one thing but playing songs is just annoying.

Plus people are way too obsessed with those things.

Now that is a scary way to make money! In the UK you only pay when you make the call, or if someone from overseas calls you.

I can see why mobile phone technology may not be taking off as fast as it could in the US.

Uh? You pay when you receive calls from people abroad? I'd better stop accepting calls from my friends when they're abroad!

I know you pay when you yourself are abroad and somebody calls you. Then you pay whatever it costs from the UK to where ever you are + the person calling pays the normal rate.

Speak of things not taking off very fast, MMS isn't taking off very fast at the moment. It's too damn expensive to use and it doesn't seem to work over networks. This is of course assuming they can even receive a MMS with their phone...

- Trevor

Yes, MMS is far too expensive at the moment and some providers have silly price plans, but who needs MMS when it's cheaper and more useful to send an email?

Speak of things not taking off very fast, MMS isn't taking off very fast at the moment.

SMS is just now becoming common in the US. Voicestream has always had it (being one of the few GSM providers), but now other companies have these big ad campaigns to make people aware of the new SMS features on their service.

Having an SMS E-mail addres sis very handy at times, like knowing instantly when the first beta of 2.0 was out :-)

Not surprised they're plugging SMS so much. It's very big business over here. The networks get a huge amount of money because of the sheer number of SMS's being sent.

The networks are always on the lookout for the "next big thing". This used to be WAP but that kind of flopped badly. And now it's MMS which isn't very well supported currently and expensive. As David said, it's cheaper and just as convienient to use email. All of the MMS capable phones can send/receive email anyway.

Oh god. You'll be getting those annoying abbreviated messages when people try to squeeze as much as possible into 1 SMS now. Looks like a sendmail rule half the time

- Trevor

In reply to:

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SMS is just now becoming common in the US

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You guys are into 2 way paging aren't you? I always wondered what the 'Jigger Man' Jay Z and his annoying associates were going on about and it was only recently when I actually went to the US did I actually find out that it was a pager with a transmitter and a keyboard. I'd always assumed 2 way paging was an Americanism for SMSing. How does the pricing work on those? I assume you just pay a few cents to send a message and nothing to recieve it?

Anyway, I'm off to polish my bling bling and go for a spin in the Escalade...

Peace out.

You guys are into 2 way paging aren't you?

Me personally, no. All my close friends hopped on GSM networks at about the same time, so it's been all SMS. Thankfully the recent phones have T9, so no need for short messages.

It still amazes me to see a supposed IT pro here with a cell phone, and pager on his belt.

It still amazes me to see a supposed IT pro here with a cell phone, and pager on his belt

Yup, all that communication equipment hanging off them and you still can't get IT support in the middle of a workday...

MOOOVE!

;-)

-Zeke