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Commonly used to customize the sound of a cell phone's incoming call, ringtones were first invented to help individuals determine if their phone was ringing when in the company of other cellular phone customers. In their earliest years, all cell phones featured one cookie-cutter ringtone, which often made it difficult to distinguish one phone from another. Anytime a phone rang in a crowded elevator or on a busy sidewalk, everyone would have to reach for their phone in order to see if the call was theirs. Thanks to the invention of creative ringtones, that distinction is no longer a problem for many cell phone customers.

Antique phones commonly used a pair of bells as their ringer, but modern ringtones have changed the way our phones ring - literally. With everything from instrumental music to voices and sounds, modern ringtones are anything but simplistic. As cell phone customers, we all have several pre-programmed ringtones that are already installed into our phone. We can choose to use one of those or we can opt for purchasing additional ringtones according to our favorite song, celebrity or other sound.

In an effort to take this innovation one step further, most modern cell phones offer their owner with the option of customizing specific ringtones for specific incoming calls. For instance, you could set one ringtone for your best friend, one for your boss, one for your spouse, one for your brother or sister, mom or dad, etc. Unlike caller ID that requires a visual to see who is calling, a distinct ringtone lets you know who is on the other end of the line by way of sound.

As an alternative to ringtones, some cell phone companies allow for a vibrating alert. This is beneficial in many situations, including noisy environments that may prevent you from otherwise hearing the phone ring, in places where a ringing telephone would be inappropriate or disturbing, etc. In addition, a vibrating alert is especially beneficial to those who suffer from a hearing impairment and may otherwise have difficulty in recognizing the sound of a ringing telephone.

In recent weeks, studies have suggested that certain ringtones are being used by teens in order to avoid detection by adults. An example would be a classroom setting in which a student did not want his/her teacher to hear the cell phone ring. Is there really a specific type of ringtone that is undetectable by some adults? Studies say *yes,* but most adults will caution that they already know what a child is doing without having to hear it.