Date: 201604
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise; Climb
Airspace: Class E ZZZ
ATC / advisory: TRACON ZZZ
Aircraft component: Fuel Distribution System
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Not Flying; First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Troubleshooting
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Fuel Issue
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Environment - Non Weather Related
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: During initial climb out at approximately 3000 feet we got a message reading FUEL PUMP. The Captain called for the appropriate checklist when the aircraft was passing 10;000. After completion of the checklist; a fuel imbalance of 2400 LBS between the left and right main tanks had occurred with the associated FUEL CONFIG light. The popped circuit breaker for that pump was discovered shortly afterward.We discussed the ramifications of entering ETOPS airspace with the failed pump. The Captain (Pilot Flying) then asked me to setup a phone patch with dispatch and maintenance control to discuss the legalities of continuing the flight. Once a phone patch through VHF radios was established; it became obvious that the range of the radios was quickly being exceeded; so we requested an HF frequency to continue the phone patch.Over 20 minutes passed before an adequate phone patch could be reestablished; all while rapidly approaching ETOPS airspace. The HF phone patch was broken no less than 3 times before a suitable answer was given to us. During the phone patch; vital communication was poor at best. Several times miscommunication between the crew; dispatch; maintenance control; and the Duty Manager; led to incorrect assumptions as to the legality; safety; and plan to either continue or divert the flight; requiring clarification. Numerous aircraft broke into the phone patch with their routine requests to oceanic on the Long Distance Operation Control frequency; exasperating the communication efforts. Dispatch was still unsure of the Captain's EOK 90 minutes after entering ETOPS airspace and required another phone patch to obtain.The lack of SATCOM on this aircraft transitioning [through an] ETOPS segment is the sole reason for the poor communications effort between crew; dispatch; maintenance; duty manager; and fleet. One simple 3 minute phone call would have solved every single issue which we experienced. ACARS through SATCOM would have given the dispatcher the ability to send an updated fuel burn scenario based on new assumptions for the problem; easing our minds for a potential trapped fuel scenario.


Second narrative: [Report narrative contained no additional information.]


Synopsis: B757 flight crew experienced a fuel pump failure thereby degrading fuel transfer between wing tanks. Communication with company resources to determine legality to continue flight were difficult because of the distance from land based transmitter. Crew would have liked to have had satellite phone capabilities.