ACR JUST STARTING UP USES VERY SIMILAR CALL SIGN AND FLT NUMBERS TO EXISTING ACR OPERATING IN SAME AREAS.

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THE COMPANY THAT I WORK FOR; ACR A; HAS HAD THE RADIO CALL SIGN 'XXXA' FOR THE LAST 14 YRS. RECENTLY; A NEW FAR 121 CARRIER NAMED ACR B BEGAN FLYING AND OBTAINED THE CALL SIGN 'XXXB.' WHILE THIS MAY SEEM INSIGNIFICANT AT FIRST GLANCE; IT DOES CAUSE CONSIDERABLE CONFUSION IN THE AIR. OUR CREWS MUST LISTEN CONTINUOUSLY AND BE EXTREMELY VIGILANT TO HEAR ATC INSTRUCTIONS DIRECTED TO US. THIS NEW COMPANY ALSO USES SIMILAR FLT NUMBERS; I.E.; 'ABCD' WHILE AN ACR A; 'ABCD' MAY ALSO BE IN THE AIR. THIS CAUSES MUCH CONFUSION WITH ATC WHO ALSO MISTAKES US AT TIMES. OUR PLTS ASSOCIATION HAS COMPLAINED TO OUR FAA PRINCIPAL OPS INSPECTOR AND HE AGREES THAT WE HAVE A PROB. HE CHKED AND SAID THAT THE ATC PEOPLE CTL THIS AND THERE IS NOT MUCH HE CAN DO; HENCE; THIS RPT. BOTH OUR COMPANY AND ACR B OPERATE NUMEROUS FLTS INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA; AND; AS YOU CAN IMAGINE; THIS CAUSES SUBSTANTIAL CONFUSION ON THE RADIO AND IS A SAFETY PROB. HOPEFULLY WITH YOUR HELP; THIS PROB CAN BE RECTIFIED WITH YOUR HELP BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT OCCURS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THEY DID NOT HAVE MUCH FAITH THAT FAA WOULD DO MUCH AFTER THE FAA PRINCIPAL OPS INSPECTOR GAVE THEM THE BRUSH-OFF. THE PROB CONTINUES. BOTH ACRS ARE BASED IN MIAMI; BOTH FLY OUT OF DAYTON. SOMETIMES THEY HAVE EXACTLY THE SAME FLT NUMBERS IN THE AIR AT THE SAME TIME. MANY OF THE PLTS FEEL THIS IS A GREAT SAFETY HAZARD. CTLRS HAVE COMPLAINED AS WELL. ANALYST SUGGESTED THE FAA HOTLINE AND ALSO COMPANY FOLLOW-UP WITHIN THE REGION.