Points taken, Outatowner. We're guilty and I don't know how to solve the problem of nonchalance. From what I've gleaned from 35 years in the business, most ATC training departments around the world teach their people to answer all calls as soon as is humanly possible (there are a few exceptions to that rule, as always, but you should get an explanation as to why e.g."I had urgent co-ord going on"). I am professionally appalled at the manner of many of our brethren who seem to think that it's OK to leave pilots hanging when they're trying to establish comms.
And, mea culpa, due to the many similar callsigns around here, I've messed up, too, and wondered why the guy I wanted to answer hasn't been there. In the heat of battle and sector loadings over the 30 mark, it's not hard to see why this happens.
As pie-in-the-sky as it may seem, it would be timely for a number of the ATS providers and main airline players to get together and do something to enhance safety. Less junkets; more substantive meetings with clear targets that benefit all of us. Dreams are free; if they weren't, we'd all be poor men.
Take care and apologies from us when you haven't received the service you paid for. Cheers.