DoT sources said that except the fourcompanies, all cellular and basic service providers cleared their dues on Monday. The companies will now have to securitise their balance dues within the next two days, or pay penalties. Failure to do so could also result in the withdrawal of the migration package from the operators, the sources said.

As per the migration package, private telecom operators were to pay the last tranche of licence fee arrears amounting to 65 per cent of the amount on January 31. Once the companies fulfill all payment conditions, they will be given the amended licence agreement.

The sources said that all the remaining operators paid up their dues in time to meet the January 31 deadline. Out of 20 licencees holding 34 cellular licences and six licences in basic services, only the four companies have technically defaulted on the payment conditions.

As per DoT figures, Modicom has to provide a bank guarantee of Rs 150.27 crore, and Fascel Rs 88 crore. The sources added that there was no decision for providing a blanket extension to all companies.

Earlier, there were reports of the possiblity of DoT extending the deadline for all the companies as a policy decision. It now appears that the plans for extending by 45 days have been dropped, given that nearly all have paid up.

In any case, the relaxation would have been applicable to only a few operators. One surprising default seems to have been committed by the southern cellular provider JT Mobiles, which was recently taken over by the Bharti group. Even as the sources said that the company had defaulted, a JT Mobiles spokesperson could not be contacted for the company's version.