AirTel launches new pre-paid schemes

Bharti Cellular on Tuesday announced a slew of benefits for its 4.5 million pre-paid card users in an effort to shore up its subscriber base.

The new scheme includes full talk time on recharge coupons of Rs 3,240 and increased validity period for coupons of lower denomination. The talk time earlier on a Rs 3,240 card was only Rs 2,700.

To further strengthen the offering, all AirTel pre-paid customers would now be able to receive incoming calls and SMS for the first 15 days of the grace period.

The move comes close on the heels of Reliance Infocomm launching its pre-paid card. The Reliance scheme offered a pre-paid connection with handset for about Rs 3,400.

Announcing, the new initiatives, Manoj Kohli, president mobility, Bharti Tele-ventures said, "the pre-paid category continues to be the real driver for the unprecedented growth of the Indian mobile market. AirTel has once again taken the lead in redefining the pre-paid market in the country".

The validity period for the recharge coupon of Rs 50 has been increased from three days to five days and the Rs 108 card will have a validity period of 10 days instead of the seven days earlier. Pre-paid card of Rs 216 will now be valid for 20 days instead of 14 days earlier.

The AirTel pre-paid customers can also top up their pre-paid card with any denomination suiting their budget, be it Rs 75, 120, 160.

"In real terms, this means a pre-paid customer can buy talk time in the same manner as he buys petrol for his car or two- wheeler," said a company release.

More than 60 per cent of the mobile subscriber base comprise pre-paid users. Reliance Infocomm has targeted to garner 1 million new subscribers every month following the launch of its pre-paid cards.