Do smartphones offer free ring-back tones?

Smartphones do not come with free ring-back tones other than the default ringing sound that comes with all phones. Ring-back tones are available from cellular service providers like AT&T, Sprint and Verizon at a cost per tone and, in some cases, with an additional monthly service fee.

A personalized ring-back tone is typically a snippet of a previously published song heard by the caller. Because of this, the associated cost is actually a licensing fee for the use of that portion of the song. This fee usually ranges from $1 to $3, with a monthly service fee that averages $0.99.