Narrative:

During routine arrival from denver into st louis we were asked to leave FL410 early to accommodate center crossing traffic. ATC asked if we would have an operational problem descending to FL290 by 115 mi west of uin. We said no problem and left FL410 as directed. After leveling at FL290 we received an ACARS message with a request to call a specific VHF frequency. I asked the current controller if he recognized the frequency and he said it belonged to the controller above his sector. I asked him to investigate and after a min or so he came back saying 'no problem.' the overlying sector controller had thought he had lost communication with us. The remainder of the arrival was normal, but I had the uneasy feeling that we had been lost by ATC during the handoff and I wanted to be sure we were on record as having complied 'as cleared.' ATC and I had a friendly discussion regarding the crossing airspace problems into st louis and possible solutions such as filing a more southerly arrival during the late afternoon hours. As I stated, I do not believe any problem occurred during this flight but I'm uncertain what transpired between ATC sectors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLC ON DSCNT REQUESTED TO CONTACT ATC ON SPECIFIC VHF FREQ.

Narrative: DURING ROUTINE ARR FROM DENVER INTO ST LOUIS WE WERE ASKED TO LEAVE FL410 EARLY TO ACCOMMODATE CTR XING TFC. ATC ASKED IF WE WOULD HAVE AN OPERATIONAL PROB DSNDING TO FL290 BY 115 MI W OF UIN. WE SAID NO PROB AND LEFT FL410 AS DIRECTED. AFTER LEVELING AT FL290 WE RECEIVED AN ACARS MESSAGE WITH A REQUEST TO CALL A SPECIFIC VHF FREQ. I ASKED THE CURRENT CTLR IF HE RECOGNIZED THE FREQ AND HE SAID IT BELONGED TO THE CTLR ABOVE HIS SECTOR. I ASKED HIM TO INVESTIGATE AND AFTER A MIN OR SO HE CAME BACK SAYING 'NO PROB.' THE OVERLYING SECTOR CTLR HAD THOUGHT HE HAD LOST COM WITH US. THE REMAINDER OF THE ARR WAS NORMAL, BUT I HAD THE UNEASY FEELING THAT WE HAD BEEN LOST BY ATC DURING THE HDOF AND I WANTED TO BE SURE WE WERE ON RECORD AS HAVING COMPLIED 'AS CLRED.' ATC AND I HAD A FRIENDLY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE XING AIRSPACE PROBS INTO ST LOUIS AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS SUCH AS FILING A MORE SOUTHERLY ARR DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON HRS. AS I STATED, I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY PROB OCCURRED DURING THIS FLT BUT I'M UNCERTAIN WHAT TRANSPIRED BTWN ATC SECTORS.

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.