A ringtone is a sound file that is played by a cellular or a mobile phone. The purpose of ringtones is to give a unique ring to a cell phone so that it can be distinguished in an environment that has lots of cell phone users.

These ringtones are normally melodious in nature and are played to convey an incoming call or a message. They can be better personalized to suit ones tastes. Ringtones are the easiest way to personalize a cell phone. Many new cell phone models have features that allow users to create their own ringtones.

There are many companies that make and sell ringtones, generally through websites. The sale of ringtones has not only boosted the mobile phone sales but also the bottom lines of recording companies as a way earning of royalties.

There are three distinct types of ringtones: monophonic ringtones, polyphonic ringtones and music ringtones.

Monophonic cell phone ringtones are very simple and are compatible with most of the mobile phones in use. It comprises of a series of sequential tones at varying frequencies.

Polyphonic ringtones can be played on mobile phones which are capable of playing 16 tones simultaneously. The combination of these tones creates a harmonic melody. Polyphonic ringtones are more musical and carry better presence than a monophonic ringtone. New advanced mobile phones support polyphonic ringtones.

Music ringtones are often referred to as voice tones, realtones or true tones. They use original pieces of music along with lyrics, exactly as the original recording. The format is usually MP3, WAV, WMA, etc This feature and support for music ringtones is being built into most new models of almost all manufacturers..

You can find many websites that offer free ringtones which can be downloaded directly to your mobile phone. Paid websites allow subscriptions or charge on a per ringtone basis. Before you opt for downloading a ringtone, ensure that the ringtone will work on your mobile phone model. You should also check whether the website has rights of distribution for the ringtone, since the maker is supposed to receive royalty for use of the ringtone.