Close on the heels of Airtel launching a lifetime prepaid card, Hutch on Monday announced a lifetime validity scheme for its prepaid subscribers at Rs 999.

"With the new 'Chalta Rahe' recharge, Hutch prepaid users across the country can now go mobile for life by making a one-time payment of Rs 999," the company said in a statement in New Delhi.

Now, lifetime validity plan from Airtel

In addition, they will also get full talk time for all subsequent recharges (net of applicable service tax). The Chalta Rahe Prepaid recharge is expected to dramatically increase the affordability of a prepaid mobile connection, it said.

This offering is available to existing and new subscribers. Those opting for Chalta Rahe Recharge will pay Rs 1.99/minute for all local calls and Rs 2.99/minute for all STD calls. In addition, this recharge comes with a Rs 25 worth in-built talk time. This recharge, however, cannot be combined with any other promotional offer, the company said.

With Chalta Rahe prepaid card, the company said: "Users do not need to buy validity recharges every month and will no longer be required to recharge every month to remain mobile without being worried about losing validity or expiration of their prepaid connection."

It will also offer full talk time on all future recharges and customers can subsequently top-up with any amount and get full talk time but customers will need to recharge with the minimum available recharge (currently just Rs 10) at least once in 6 months to stay mobile.

Three months ago, Hutch had launched a prepaid recharge card costing just Rs 10.

Before Airtel, Tata Teleservices [Get Quote] had launched two years' validity on its pre-paid cards.

Naveen Chopra, corporate vice president (group marketing) Hutchison Essar, said this innovation will bring a significant change in the mobile industry as we know it. Going mobile will now become significantly more affordable.

A reasonable one-time entry cost combined with low denomination, full talk time recharges thereafter will encourage increased adoption of mobile telephone.

Hutchison Essar group of companies has over 10.68 million mobile users under the Hutch brands.