Q. What's the buzz about Ringtones exactly?

By the end of the years 1990, Nokia, Ericsson and Siemens -- and recently, most other phone companies -- have introduced a new feature in their phones: the possibility to compose one's own ringtone directly on the phone or to send it to the phone, from a computer, using a data cable or SMS. Many web sites now offer pre-coded ringtones.

That way, phone users can have a broader variety of ringing tones to choose from, thus allaying the growing problem of multiple phone owners being in the same area: everybody wonders whose phone is ringing. With a very unique ringtone, it's easier to recognize one's own cell phone.

In addition to that, some users value the possibility to personalize their phone, for instance by changing the background logo for a picture that represents their personality and by using a different melody as their ringtone.