Ringtones Free

Ringtones –a Juicy Business

When cell phones became popular, nobody would have thought that the way they ring would turn into a multimillionaire business. The market is huge, and it continues growing, with estimated worldwide sales of $ 3 Billion per year. Nowadays, popular singers and performers are providing rights for their melodies to be converted into ringtone versions. According to a survey, 26% of mobile phone owners have downloaded a ringtone at least once. Many people are true enthusiasts about ringtones, downloading several a month. The survey shows that there has been a significant increase in US ringtone downloads compared to a year ago, when just 5% of mobile users had downloaded ringtones. Mobile phone users aged 12-24 years are said to account for half of the ringtone down-loaders and older US mobile users are also downloading. Of the 25-34 year old mobile users, 30% were found to have downloaded ringtones, together with 17% of 35-54 year olds and 5% of those aged 55 and over. Ringtone companies have found a vast variety of customers. When ringtones started to become popular, most of them were hip-hop ones. But now, with the market getting so large, potential customers can be found everywhere. The recently discovered urban Hispanic market was sometimes left forgotten, but ringtone operators are now finding how profitable this market can be. “The Ketchup Song, by Las Ketchup was on our top ten list about three years ago,” said Bob Bentz, director of marketing at Ringingphone.com. “Then, there’s the traditional cross-over ringtones like Ricky Martin’s Livin’ La Vida Loca and Los Del Rio’s Macarena that are consistent sellers. We have good sellers with Juan Gabriel ringtones, Selena ringtones, and Marc Anthony ringtones, but, for the most part, our business is still mainly about rap ringtones and hip-hop ringtones. But, we like the opportunities in the Hispanic market and continue to expand our offerings.” Bob Bentz said. In fact, ringtones have become so popular that Cingular Wireless said it will debut new music singles from top artists as cell phone ringtones on its network before those songs make their traditional radio debut. Record labels are seeing phones ringing with 30-second clips of their artists' songs as an easy and potentially lucrative way to promote music. Even Twentieth Century Fox and Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corp. have found a way to promote their movies through ringtones. They have added free wireless downloads through Bluetooth wireless stations at the movies. Now, people with Bluetooth-enabled cell phones can download ringtones, wallpaper and movie trailers for free at Loews.