The sound of Limp Bizkit's "Faith" reverberates loud and clear, causing some to look around for a radio in the vicinity. First-year College student Kathleen Hoff, however, knows better. She reaches for her cell phone, places it to her ear and the music is suddenly replaced by the familiar "Hello."
Modern cell phone "tones" have replaced the traditional "ring." Tones now include classical serenades, national anthems and pop songs, in addition to the standard rings offered on all cell phones.
Unique tones maintain their popularity because of people's desires to obtain individuality.
"I have the most weird ring on my phone that I could find," first-year College student Sara Rich said. Rich went on to explain, however, that she always changes the ring to Silver Bells around Christmas time.
Others prefer to have their own tone so that they know their cell phone from the plethora of others in a given situation.
"I've had the same ring, Symphony No. 5, since the first day I got my phone. I have memorized it and don't get my phone confused with others when it rings," first-year College student Lauren Santana said.
For people who can't seem to choose from all the options that are available, have no fear -- www.cellphones.about.com can help. The site has created an online, 18-question quiz with the aims of matching phone rings perfectly with one's personality. After responding to questions including "Most of the walls in your home are covered in..." and "When buying clothes, your priority is to get..." the quiz-taker is rewarded with several choices and explanations of the perfect cell phone ring to fit his or her personality.
Those in search of the perfect ring may also visit www.ringingphone.com and choose from thousands of rings, the "hottest" currently being 50 Cent's "Wanksta."
Although many enjoy the new-fangled rings, others revere them enough to sit through an entire symphony. American composer Golan Levin created in 2001 an interactive "Dialtones Telesymphony," in which audience members registered their cell phone numbers, were assigned a specific seat, and then enjoyed the show. Cell phones had to remain on, and all 200 phones were automatically dialed in an orderly fashion, creating the music for the show.
The next time a cell phone rings in class, smile instead of getting angry. Not every generation is able to receive music education with the ring of a phone.
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