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PrintMore Bang for Your Buck: Downloadable Ring Tones
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Laura Garrigan
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Some are cute...Some are creative...And some are downright annoying. Just walk down the street and you'll hear a hundred different cell phones with a hundred different rings. But if you want a tune that's distinctive, it's not cheap. 7's Lynn Martinez has more on this ring tone rage in tonight's More Bang For Your Buck.
(WSVN) -- These days it's not all about carrying a fancy phone, you have to have the right ring to go along with it.
These downloadable ring tones offer a cross section of pop culture; everything from rock to rap.
Abra Degbor from Verizon Wireless: "It's an expression of individuality. People want to be able to say look at me I'm so cool."
But in the past few years, downloadable ring tones have exploded in popularity.
Cell phone user: "They are very, very popular. Everyone has one."
While online music services like Napster and I-tunes are trying to convince us to spend 99 cents a song to burn onto a CD. Thirty second ring tones can cost more than twice the price.
Cliff Raskind from Global Wireless Practice: "They represent $118 million dollar revenue screen."
Ready to download your own tune, well each carrier offers their own selection or you can go to third party sites like ringtone.com.
And while some ring tones will resemble elevator music.
Others are replicas of the original.
Just remember - before you download, you'll want to check out the terms and conditions carefully.
And while some songs are yours to keep forever. Others expire within a few months.
Cell phone user: "You can renew it. Get another 90 days for $1.50 or $2.50."
Ring tones aren't the only big business. You should also be careful when downloading cell phone games.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Contact: lmartinez@wsvn.com