Craig Thornburrow asked: While you may find websites offering free ringtones and telephone companies offer complimentary ringtones as well, the question is: Does complimentary mean free?
It’s interesting that the very nature of the word complimentary, which is defined as “given free as a gift,” that is used on most websites and telephone company websites is a misnomer. Therefore, the cost of downloading ringtones may vary depending upon the telephone company and the number of ringtones offered; either stand-alone or via subscription.
Yes, there are websites where you can actually download “free” ringtones, but to suggest that somehow complimentary ringtones are “given free as a gift” is often misinterpreted.
If you check Alltel’s website, for example, you will notice they may be offering numerous ringtones at a cost of $2.99 each. Yet, if you go to websites that offer Alltel ringtones, you may find an entirely different price structure based on a subscription service.
Most of these websites offer subscription services that may include up to 15 or more ringtones at various prices. Thus, complimentary ringtones are those that are neither free nor a gift, which is why researching the hundreds of websites that offer ringtones is recommended.
In addition, you want to ensure that your cell phone is compatible with the ringtones offered. While there are many sites offering monophonic ringtones which, for some, are not as good as polyphonic ringtones; there are just as many who offer both in addition to wallpapers and MP3 ringtones as well.
When you think back to the earlier days when email became all the rage, the “You’ve Got Mail” voice was always that of a man. Later, as technology improved, you could select not only gender, but character voices as well. It’s no different today with ringtones. Buying your first cell phone offered you the standard ring and later a more tuneful one. Today, you can choose tunes, voice clips and themes from TV and movies, music of every genre and comedy as well.
Although there may be a difference between complimentary and free ringtones, the proof is in the type of ringtone offered, that is, monophonic or polyphonic; real or true; popular or unknown.
As you peruse different websites trying to discern which ringtones to download, bookmark at least ten sites to begin with and then take each one and note the number of ringtones offered; price; subscription service; and terms and conditions. Also ascertain if the site offers a telephone contact for subscribers; the carriers they use; and if there are any additional features to enable your cell phone to download the complimentary ringtones as well.
Corey
