This invention is especially intended for playing Ring Tones (referred to
hereinbelow as "RT's") on a called computer terminal, and/or Ring Back
Tones (referred to hereinbelow as "RBT's") on the calling computer
terminal, in voice communications selected from users of different
computer terminals, mainly personal computers (referred to hereinbelow as
"PC's") by means of a network which is at least partially a data network
capable of supporting voice, such as the Internet. RT's and/or RBT's are
played by means of a continuous download of said tones (referred to
hereinbelow as "streaming") given that neither RT nor RBT are present at
any time on any of the PC's, but rather are downloaded from a remote
server where RT's and/or RBT's are located. In general, the user of the
called PC will be the one determining what RT and/or RBT will be played
in terms of the different optional factors such as which calling PC is
involved.