Lifetime mobile connection plans offered by telecom companies are valid as long as operators are permitted to offer their services, minister of state for communications and IT Milind Deora has said.

"The service providers have been prescribing certain condition of minimum recharge/usage as part of the lifetime validity plans. The subscribers in such plans are entitled to enjoy incoming facility subject to fulfilment of the conditions specified in the tariff plans," Deora informed the lok sabha in a written reply.

He was replying to a question whether most of the mobile service providers have issued and are issuing their mobile connections in the name of life time free incoming call scheme whereas their licence validity is for a specific period of time.

"...any tariff plan presented, marketed...as having liftime or unlimited validity in lieu of an upfront payment shall continue to be available to the subscriber for the duration of the period prescribed in the plan," Deora said.

Trai has issued regulatory guidelines to protect the interest of lifetime plan consumers, he said.

The service providers are also prohibited from changing tariffs to the disadvantage of the consumers during the entire validity period promised in the plan, he said.