The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has banned Apple’s iPhone 3G advert, due to it being misleading to consumers. It’s the second time this year that Apple has had an iPhone advert banned by the ASA for misleading consumers, with the first generation iPhone ad being banned in August.

The ruling for the newest ad centres on the speed in which the iPhone 3G can access the internet and download files. After the first airing of the new advert the ASA received 17 complaints stating that the advert was “exaggerating the speed of the iPhone 3G”.

The ASA said that even though most consumers would be familiar with internet speeds generated by mobile phones, that “many might not be fully aware of the technical differences between the different types of technology”.

The regulator went on to say that the current advert would “lead viewers to believe that the device actually operated at or near to the speeds shown in the ad”.

Apple UK hit back, saying that the fast internet claimed in the advert was a comparison between the iPhone 3G and its first-generation device the 2G iPhone.

The ASA’s ruling means that the iPhone 3G advert will now be taken off the air and will not be broadcast in its present form.