By Bob Bentz

Philadelphia - Like the Berlin Wall did over twenty years ago, Verizon's cellular walled garden may be crashing down.

In the USA, as opposed to Europe and Asia, the mobile content and ringtone market has mirrored the early days of the internet. Remember when AOL tried to put up its own walled garden to keep consumers within its product? It soon became obvious to AOL that there was a world of information out there on the internet and consumers demanded access to it.

For several years, Verizon customers have been limited in the types of ringtones, cell phone wallpapers, and other mobile data content that they were permitted to download to their Verizon phones. This was Verizon's strategy to keep its customers "on-deck" to purchase ringtones and wallpapers and not allow its customers access to third-party independent ringtone providers. But, like the internet, consumers are now demanding more options and access to other mobile content.

One major independent ringtone provider, Ringingphone.com, is now offering ringtones to Verizon customers through a proprietary system that enables it to deliver ringtones to all of the major carriers, including Verizon. Verizon customers can order ringtones right off of the internet and not just on the carrier's deck, thus increasing options for Verizon customers.

Verizon ringtone buyers now can have The Wall (the one by Pink Floyd) on their cell phones, but this wall will be from Ringingphone and not from Verizon.

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About the Author:
Bob Bentz is known as Mr. Ringtone. At last count, he had 73 ringtones on his Nokia.