AN ACR DC9 WAS GIVEN A DSCNT TO 11000 FT AND THEN LATER GIVEN TFC INFO AND AN AMENDED ALT OF 17000 FT. THE FLC ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC INFO; BUT DID NOT HEAR THE NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT. THE ARTCC CTLR QUESTIONED THE ACFT'S ALT AT 15500 FT AND THE FLC SAID THEY DID NOT GET A NEW ALT ASSIGNMENT.

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CTLR CLRED US TO DSND TO 11000 FT (FROM FL250). SEVERAL MINS LATER CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK POS IN SIGHT (WE SAID NO). DSNDING THROUGH 15500 FT CTLR SAID; 'WHERE ARE YOU GOING; I TOLD YOU TO MAINTAIN 17000 FT.' CAPT AND I ARE POSITIVE WE NEVER RECEIVED THE CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 17000 FT; MUCH LESS READ THE 'CLRNC' BACK TO THE CTLR. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 376117: NEXT COM FROM CTLR WAS 'FLT NUMBER CONFIRM YOU ARE LEVEL AT 17000 FT.' MY RESPONSE WAS 'NEGATIVE; WE ARE PASSING 15800 FT FOR 11000 FT. WE WERE CLRED TO CROSS 40 NM NE VULCAN AT 11000 FT.' THE CTLR SAID THAT HE HAD GIVEN US A STOP AT 17000 FT WHEN WE WERE ISSUED THE TFC. THE FO AND I NEVER HEARD ANY OTHER ALT BUT THE XING RESTR NOR DID WE ACKNOWLEDGE. I EXPLAINED TO CTLR AND HIS RESPONSE WAS THAT WE HAD ACKNOWLEDGED WHEN WE ACKNOWLEDGED TFC. THAT WAS NOT THE CASE. I POINT TO CTLR ERROR SINCE I WAS REQUIRED TO READ BACK THE ALT CLRED TO BY COMPANY POLICY AND WOULD HAVE DONE SO HAD I RECEIVED IT. THE FACT THAT I DID NOT; SHOULD HAVE INDICATED TO CTLR THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE SUCH CLRNC.