Since I moved to China, I’ve had a Chinese iPhone. This behaved mostly as I expected until a few months ago when it spontaneously acquired a custom ringtone. Not as you might think the sound I hear when people call me… No. Nothing that mundane.
When people called me, rather than the expected ring-ring they were subjected to what might most accurately be described as a “Chinese Maria Carey ballad”. Oh the humiliation. People might think that I actually SELECTED this horrific screeching. I have no idea why this started, or indeed any idea how to stop it or at least change the music. The only possible solution was to throw myself at my phone when it rang to pick up as quickly as possible to minimise potential exposure to the caterwauling. Thank goodness not that many people have my Chinese number.
I believe this is what the Chinese operators consider to be a “value-added feature” and it’s surprisingly popular. I recently called a local company to have a proper, serious business discussion, only to be greeted by a ring tone that sounded like a demented ice cream van. Not a great start to a professional interaction.
Actually the best example of a customised phone tone I have experienced was by a company I used to deal with in the UK. They played Monty Python sketches rather than hold music so when someone actually answered I was sometimes a little disappointed. More people should do something like that.
Actually what am I saying? I am now imagining being subjected to Chinese Monty Python while on hold. On second thoughts, forget I ever brought it up. Please….