Amidst complaints of misleading advertising campaigns to lure more customers, some of the leading telecom service providers have been sent notices by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to explain within three days as to why they were not complying with the guidelines on tariff publications.

"We have sent notices to some of the service providers as their advertisements on tariffs are not as per the guidelines issued by Trai early this month. If they still continue to do so, Trai may issue directives," Trai chairman Pradip Baijal told PTI in New Delhi on Wednesday.

"We made mandatory for the service providers to provide information in the prescribed tariff format to help consumers compare various tariff packages which are being advertised," Trai said.

"You are requested to offer your comments within three days why your advertisement have not been published in the prescribed format," the notice said.

Asked whether the notices have gone to all the service providers, Baijal said, "It has gone to all of them whose advertisements were not as per the format."

Trai had issued guidelines on publication of tariffs by service providers to make the consumers aware of the overall financial expenditure incurred under any particular tariff package.

The advertisement should include the tariff information in the format given by Trai and these guidelines should be implemented forthwith, while in the case of advertisement on hoardings, it may be stated that the "information regarding financial implications may be obtained from the following address/website" (giving the address of the website or address), Trai had said.

Baijal also said that in case service providers continue to publish advertisements in the format not prescribed by Trai, they (service providers) would be held responsible and liable for an appropriate action.

He, however, did not give any time frame for such an action but said that Trai was taking up the matter with the service providers.