CAPT OF AN ATR 42 LEARNED AFTER LNDG AT DEST THAT HIS FLT HAD NOT BEEN MONITORED BY HIS COMPANY AS REQUIRED BECAUSE THE DISPATCHER SHOWED THE FLT RETURNED TO THE GATE AND WAS CANCELED.

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NASSAU RADAR/VOR OTS DUE TO LIGHTNING STRIKE EARLIER IN THE DAY (AUG/XA/00). MY FLT (ACR X) SCHEDULED TO DEPART AT XA25 MIAMI-NASSAU. FLT LEFT THE GATE AND DEPARTED TO NASSAU. FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL; LANDED AND DEPLANED PAX. COMPANY OPS PERSONNEL IN NASSAU ADVISED THAT THE DISPATCHER OF MY FLT WAS TOLD BY MIAMI OPS PERSONNEL THAT MY FLT HAD RETURNED TO THE GATE IN MIAMI AND THE FLT HAD CANCELED. APPARENTLY NO ONE IN MIAMI HAD TOLD ME TO CANCEL AND RETURN TO GATE; BUT SOMEONE IN MIAMI HAD LIED TO MY DISPATCHER AND SAID THAT I HAD BEEN CONTACTED. AFTER INVESTIGATION; A MIA OPS EMPLOYEE WAS FOUND TO HAVE ERRED AND HAD ASSUMED THAT I WAS TOLD. THE POINT OF ALL THIS IS THAT MY DISPATCHER WAS COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF MY FLT PROGRESS AND WAS THEREFORE NOT MONITORING THE FLT AS PER FAA REGS OF PART 121 CARRIERS. THIS WHOLE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD POSITIVE COM BEEN ESTABLISHED WITH COMPANY RADIO; OR ACARS ON BOARD THE ACFT; NONE OF WHICH OCCURRED. LUCKILY; NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY OCCURRED AND THE PAX WERE WELL CARED FOR AT ALL TIMES.