Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Ground Event / Encounter Ground Equipment Issue
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
ZZZ Center queried us about our routing. Apparently they expected us to go further east due to ZZZ1 Center having a limited number of operating frequencies. Our filed routing showed us [on one routing and our clearance was different] based on what we heard and read back. ZZZ Center was under the impression that we had received an amendment to our flight plan. At our departure airport we were unable to get our clearance through ACARS and had to receive clearance on the radio. The flight continued without any further anxiety.ZZZ1 Center connections with their remote receivers and transmitter antennas were not operational; or so we were told. If we had been able to get our clearance on ACARS we could verify the clearance and that nothing was missed on either our part or the Controller's.
During cruise; ZZZ Center queried us about our routing. It seems they expected us on a different route further east due to ZZZ1 Center having communication issues. We double checked our FMC and the clearance that we both copied [earlier] since we couldn't get it through the ACARS; and it was clear what our route was. ZZZ ATC thought we had received an amendment but we never did. He explained ZZZ1's situation and what potentially happened; re-cleared us and agreed that nothing wrong on our side had occurred; just ATC misunderstanding. We continued our flight and landed without any further issues.
Air carrier flight crew reported they flew a different route than expected and Center stated the mix-up was an ATC error.