What Does Your Ringtone Say About You?

A survey by market leader iTouch discloses about 40% of college and university students, plus a third of school pupils change their cells' ring tone at least 10 times a year. And 30% of students and about 70% of school-goers swop the handset manufacturer's logo for something funkier.

These days the range is enormous. It seems daily designers wrack their brains to ensure tone choices are funkier, funnier, pretentious and more persuasive than before for a seemingly insatiable, discerning clientele.

Says psychologist Elspeth Burke, "the fact that a company like iTouch tots up two million minutes of air time a month from customers - mostly youngsters - seeking a different ring tone, screensaver, picture message or any of a wide range of services, says to me this is more than a technical fad. These youngsters are giving vent to their creative energies; expressing themselves in a fresh, often exciting, manner.

"Actually it's no different from choosing a new hair colour, style or cut; even changing one's mode of clothing."

iTouch also finds that most important to users when a cell is bought are colour, size and range of accessories available, rather than basic technical specifications.

The fashion conscious, the trendy, the in-set, the yuppies, the daring and the wannabes see their cell as part of an expression, a statement; even a tangible SMS. When it becomes the subject of psychological ruminations and lauded for its ability to enable the self-expression of the young, well that's really cool.

Today's cell phone revolution is being talked of as offering a breakthrough in permitting humans to consider some smaller items to be a bigger, better deal than large - now's there's a step away from the norm for you.

Wanna reveal who you are with a funky ringtone that suits your personality? Then phone the Ringtones & Graphics download line on 082 232 8000 and do the following:

Choose the ringtone category you want to browse ie. top 10, pop, movies etc. Once you have chosen the category you will hear the options within that category. Now choose the option you want sent to your cellphone as an SMS. Once you have chosen your ringtone it will arrive on your cellphone as "ringtone received". Now you need to choose the 'save' option on your menu button. Now you are ready to reveal your all new personality as per your cellphone ringtone!