Narrative:

As air carrier flight xyz en route from pit to alb, we were cleared to FL310 by ZOB on frequency 121.4, and told to contact ZOB on frequency 120.2. We leveled at FL310 and think we checked in on 120.02 on filed routing, although frequency was very congested. We think that center acknowledged the check-in, either with our call sign or a similar one. We did notice that air carrier flight xyb was also on frequency and after 10-15 mins on 120.02, we queried the controller as to why we hadn't heard from him in a while. He twice answered xyb and finally acknowledged our call xyz, but asked where we were and informed us that we were not supposed to be on his frequency, and to return to last assigned. I reiterated that we had been in his airspace and on his frequency for quite a while. I stated that we were 88 NM west of rka on J584 at FL310. He suggested we try cle on 134.12. We switched, checked in, and he immediately told us to turn right 30 degrees and descend to FL270 immediately. We complied quickly and were told to contact ZNY on 132.12. We complied and checked in. We were never informed that we had caused a conflict. We were then immediately told to contact bos on 132.17 or 134.17. We were then descended to FL240 and cleared back on course direct rka. We had the impression that we might have been treated as norad and could have caused a conflict because we heard another air carrier C flight say that he was 'slow on airspeed after that last maneuver center' had asked him to perform. We still don't know how we caused a conflict, if any, or how ZOB 120.02 did not know about us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COM FREQ MISUNDERSTANDING LEADS TO LOSS OF SEPARATION FOR ACR ACFT IN ZOB AIRSPACE.

Narrative: AS ACR FLT XYZ ENRTE FROM PIT TO ALB, WE WERE CLRED TO FL310 BY ZOB ON FREQ 121.4, AND TOLD TO CONTACT ZOB ON FREQ 120.2. WE LEVELED AT FL310 AND THINK WE CHKED IN ON 120.02 ON FILED RTING, ALTHOUGH FREQ WAS VERY CONGESTED. WE THINK THAT CENTER ACKNOWLEDGED THE CHK-IN, EITHER WITH OUR CALL SIGN OR A SIMILAR ONE. WE DID NOTICE THAT ACR FLT XYB WAS ALSO ON FREQ AND AFTER 10-15 MINS ON 120.02, WE QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO WHY WE HADN'T HEARD FROM HIM IN A WHILE. HE TWICE ANSWERED XYB AND FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGED OUR CALL XYZ, BUT ASKED WHERE WE WERE AND INFORMED US THAT WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ON HIS FREQ, AND TO RETURN TO LAST ASSIGNED. I REITERATED THAT WE HAD BEEN IN HIS AIRSPACE AND ON HIS FREQ FOR QUITE A WHILE. I STATED THAT WE WERE 88 NM W OF RKA ON J584 AT FL310. HE SUGGESTED WE TRY CLE ON 134.12. WE SWITCHED, CHKED IN, AND HE IMMEDIATELY TOLD US TO TURN RIGHT 30 DEGS AND DSND TO FL270 IMMEDIATELY. WE COMPLIED QUICKLY AND WERE TOLD TO CONTACT ZNY ON 132.12. WE COMPLIED AND CHKED IN. WE WERE NEVER INFORMED THAT WE HAD CAUSED A CONFLICT. WE WERE THEN IMMEDIATELY TOLD TO CONTACT BOS ON 132.17 OR 134.17. WE WERE THEN DSNDED TO FL240 AND CLRED BACK ON COURSE DIRECT RKA. WE HAD THE IMPRESSION THAT WE MIGHT HAVE BEEN TREATED AS NORAD AND COULD HAVE CAUSED A CONFLICT BECAUSE WE HEARD ANOTHER ACR C FLT SAY THAT HE WAS 'SLOW ON AIRSPD AFTER THAT LAST MANEUVER CENTER' HAD ASKED HIM TO PERFORM. WE STILL DON'T KNOW HOW WE CAUSED A CONFLICT, IF ANY, OR HOW ZOB 120.02 DID NOT KNOW ABOUT US.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.