Following short message service (SMS), Chinese people have begun to exploit another use of cell phones, coloring ring back tone, to promote business and help manage public affairs.

The so-called Coloring Ring Back Tone (CRBT) of cell phones, which comes in the form of melodious music or refreshing sound effects, has recently been applied by Pinggu District of Beijing to promote its peach blossom festival this April.

After dialing the cell phones of Pinggu residents before and during the festival, people would hear a popular song praising the beauty of peach blossoms and a recorded message saying "The Eighth Beijing Pinggu International Peach Blossom Festival will open on April 16. We welcome you to join the joy. Pinggu is the world's largest peach growing base with 14,667 hectares covered by peach blossoms this season. Welcome to Pinggu!"

"The number of visitors to this year's peach blossom festival grew around 30 percent over last year. I believe this special ring back tone has played an important role," said Song Zhiguo, assistant to director of Pinggu District Information Center.

Li Mingsheng, who went to see the peach blossoms, said the song and the recorded message evoked in his mind a sea of peach blossoms.

"I couldn't resist the temptation," said Li, who is engaged in the research on application of IT technology in managing public affairs under a research center with Beijing University.

He praised use of the CRBT to promote the festival as an ingenious act, saying such practice would also prove useful in management of public affairs.

Actually, Song said he had recently received many requests from other festival organizers for sharing the experience of the CRBT use.

(Photo: baidu)