The earlier deadline for compliance for the ISPs was February 17. The department of telecom had to extend the deadline as per the telecom tribunal TDSAT order giving the ISPs another two weeks to comply with the DoT order to stop the VPN service unless permitted to do so.
ISPs had challenged at the TDSAT, the DoT order asking them to pay up licence fee and revenue share if they want to offer VPN services.
TDSAT had already refused to grant interim stay on government's VPN order. The tribunal will decide on the merit of the issue on March 17.
The DoT had earlier issued an order saying ISPs could offer VPN service only after paying entry and licence fee. It had said they can offer the service by way of amending their ISP licences, with a one-time entry fee of up to Rs 10 crore (Rs 100 million), depending on the category of licence and an eight per cent annual licence fee.
The annual licence fee is eight per cent of the gross revenue and there will be one time non-refundable entry fee of Rs 10 crore for category A, Rs 2 crore (rs 20 million) for B and Rs 1 crore (Rs 10 million) for C category ISP.