The applications of the four companies were cleared in the first round at a meeting of the Internet Gateway Committee held at Telecom Commission recently.

Sources told The Financial Express on Monday that the vetting of applications has been speeded up after a top-level directive in December that the fate of applications should be decided within a month.

More names are likely to be approved later this week. A meeting has been called at Bangalore on Wednesday where short-listed applicants have been asked to make presentations to the department of space on their venture.Similarly, some of the internet applicants have been asked to apply again after reworking their applications providing full technical details.Applications of a couple of ISPs is also understood to have been rejected for `non-feasibility'.

About 25 applications have so far been received by the department of telecom services' licencing and regulation group which is the nodal agency for providing single window clearance to the proposals for obtaining bandwidths from foreign satellites.

All of them have sought to set up earth stations utilising satellite transponders, barring a handful who have sought connectivity through under-sea cables such as FLAG and Sea-We-Me. This is because the government is yet to make up its mind on whether the ISPs will be allowed to approach the submarine companies directly, or through Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited.The use of KU-band transponders for setting up the international gateways is also believed to have been cleared after detailed discussions with the department of space and a formal announcement is likely soon, sources said.

ISPs have been asked to approach only those satellite companies which coordinate with DoS. Footprint of several satellites extends over India but they do not coordinate with DoS or the Wireless Planning Commission.A standing committee comprising department of telecom, DTS, WPC, ministry of IT and DoS is looking into the applications. The parameters for scrutiny also propose that the satellite access and earth station specifications should be consistent with the radio frequency guidelines.

When contacted, Internet Service Providers Association of India secretary Amitabh Singhal said "an early permission to set up the gateways is crucial to the business plans of the ISPs and if the government sticks to its promise of clearing their applications within a month, it will be a very welcome step which will give tremendous boost to the growth of internet in the country."

National Association of Software and Services Companies (Nasscom) president Dewang Mehta also expressed hope that the first private gateway for ISPs will be operational by April.