I have a Nokia 2610 with T-Mobile firmware (starts up/shuts down with T-Mobile splash screen even with the SIM pulled). In the ringer setting, there's an option of ascending, as well as ringing, but regardless of which one I choose, the ringer operates in ascending mode. Is this a known bug? I'm often walking around near high ambient noise, so instant full-volume blast is important to me.
On some of Nokia phones when the ringer volume is set to highest level the phone seems to always ascend. On lower volume settings it follows the setting. My guess is 2610 is one of those.