AN ACR B727-200 FLIES 178 MI INTO ZME AIRSPACE WITHOUT BENEFIT OF RADIO CONTACT. FLT WAS NOT GIVEN A HDOF TO ZME BY CTLR AT ZTL; GA.

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ON A FLT PLAN FROM MCO TO DEN AT FL350; WE RECEIVED ON SELCAL FROM SFO RADIO TO CALL ZME ON FREQ 124.92. ZME THEN ASKED TO TURN 15 DEGS R FOR TFC. ZME ASKED WHAT OUR PREVIOUS CTLR WAS. WE SAID ZTL ON FREQ 125.87. ZTL HAD FAILED TO GIVE US A SWITCHOVER AND WE WERE IN ZME AIRSPACE ABOUT 178 MI. ZME SAID THEY HAD A 'SIT' IN WHICH ANOTHER ACFT WAS CO-ALT HDG IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THEY DSNDED OTHER ACFT TO ANOTHER FLT LEVEL. WE NEVER VISUALLY SAW THE OTHER ACFT; NO INDICATIONS ON OUR TCASII FOR ANY THREATS NEARBY. NO CONFLICTS NOTED. RECOMMEND THAT ATC (CTRS) SET A LIMIT ON HOW FAR AN ACFT ENTERS THEIR ZONE BEFORE CALLING SELCAL OR MAKING CONTACT VIA COMPANY DISPATCH. IF A SIT WAS SLOWLY DEVELOPING; THEN ZME ACTED LATE ON NOTIFICATION. OUR COMPANY DID A SELCAL -- IN UNDER 30 SECONDS WE WERE WITH ZME FROM REQUEST TIME TO RESPONSE FROM AIR CREW. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 484061: WE TRAVELED LESS THAN 178 MI WITHOUT COM WITH ARTCC. THERE WAS COM HEARD ON THE RADIO SO IT DID NOT STRIKE US AS UNUSUALLY LONG WITHOUT DIRECT CONTACT.