If you are in a area with poor 3G, the iPhone will still work on the Edge network but slower. The signal strength in my home is a bit poor so I use it in wi-fi mode in the house, which is better than 3G anyway. The phone is supposed to be mobile, and you will probably find a few streets away, the network is brilliant. Lots of pubs, bars, cafes and stations have wi-fi links that are free.
I have purchased a little case for mine in case I drop it. I previous had an iPod Touch (Very similar to phone) and have used it extensively for 6 months without getting any big dents in it.
You can create your own customised ringtone in iTunes.
Choose iTunes > Preferences, click General, and then make sure Ringtones is selected.
Make sure you�re connected to the Internet.
Select the song you want to use, and then choose Store > Create Ringtone.
In the editing window that appears, choose the part of the song you want to use as the ringtone.
You can use up to 30 seconds of the song.