The continentals annoy me at times with their "Speedbird 345 maintain FL180 on reaching, traffic 1000 above". If they're suggesting you reduce your rate of climb, which is fair enough and good airmanship nonetheless, then only the "traffic 1000 above your cleared level" is required. We've already confirmed the climb clearance so I'd like to ask the controllers about all these pilots that seem to have worried them by alt busting deliberately.
(Ian W have you tried to use CPDLC recently? There's no way it's replacing Radio Transmissions within the next ten years, twenty would also be a stretch.)