Flexible ring-tone service

A method for receiving a ring-tone, the method comprising:

• receiving an input from a user, the input including configuration information associating at least one ring-tone to caller information;
• sending the configuration information to a ring-tone server;
• and
• receiving a selected ring-tone from the ring-tone server in response to a call to a communications device of the user, the communications device not currently engaged in a previously initiated call with another party, the selected ring-tone comprising streaming media and being selected from a plurality of ring-tones based on the configuration information and caller information associated with the call,
• wherein the configuration information includes an association of which of a plurality of media formats are compatible with a plurality of communications devices of the plurality of users,
• wherein each of the plurality of ring-tones is classified into one of a plurality of categories and the configuration information includes category information, and
• wherein the selected ring-tone is selected in sequential order by the ring-tone server from a group of ring-tones of one of the categories.

A communications apparatus comprising:

• an input for receiving configuration information from a user, the configuration information associating ring-tones to caller information;
• a transmitter for sending the configuration information to a ring-tone server;
• a receiver for receiving a ring-tone indicator in response to a call to a communication device of the user, the communications device not currently engaged in a previously initiated call with another party, the ring-tone indicator being selected based on the configuration information and caller information associated with the call;
• a storage for storing a plurality of ring-tones, the ring-tones comprising media information;
• and
• a ring-tone selector for selecting a user ring-tone from the plurality of ring-tones, based on the received ring-tone indicator,
• wherein the configuration information includes an association of which of a plurality of media formats are compatible with a plurality of communications devices of the plurality of users,
• wherein each of the plurality of ring-tones is classified into one of a plurality of categories and the configuration information includes category information, and
• wherein the selected ring-tone is selected in sequential order from a group of stored ring-tones of one of the categories.

A method for communicating, the method comprising:

• downloading a plurality of ring-tones;
• registering the plurality of ring-tones with a ring-tone server;
• storing the plurality of ring-tones, the plurality of ring-tones comprising media information;
• receiving an input comprising configuration information associating ring-tones to caller information;
• sending the configuration information to the ring-tone server;
• receiving a ring-tone indicator from the ring-tone server in response to a call to a communications device, the communications device not currently engaged in a previously initiated call with another party, the ring-tone indicator being selected based on the configuration information and caller information associated with the call;
• and
• selecting a ring-tone from the plurality of ring-tones, based on the received ring-tone indicator,
• wherein the configuration information includes an association of which of a plurality of media formats are compatible with a plurality of communications devices of the plurality of users,
• wherein each of the plurality of ring-tones is classified into one of a plurality of categories and the configuration information includes category information, and
• wherein the selected ring-tone is selected in sequential order from a group of stored ring-tones of one of the categories.