Originally Posted by
BigFlyer
....covers a theoretical situation where the agency has booked a certain number of rooms but does not provide the name of the guest until close to check-in. ...
It isn't theoretical. The large travel agencies (Expedia and Priceline) buy room nights in bulk. Connexions can shop your reservation until the last minute to obtain the best price (for them, not for you). We do have reports from posters who contacted hotel in advance to find no record of reservation, and some who arrived to find no reservation entered.