India is likely to send a notice on Friday to telecom carriers asking them to stop providing third-generation (3G) mobile data services through roaming pacts outside their licensed zones immediately, Telecommunications Secretary R Chandrashekhar said.

The government sold 3G airwaves in an auction in 2010 that attracted much higher bids than expected, and no single company managed to get spectrum in all of the country's 22 zones.

Leading mobile operators Bharti Airtel, Vodafone's India unit and Idea Cellular currently provide 3G services beyond their licensed zones through pacts between themselves. "We will issue showcause notices to companies for 3G ICR pacts,"  Chandrashekhar said adding, "the companies will have to explain their position within 60 days".

With inputs from Reuters