That is bad. I wonder if everyone gets the same treatment and they just expect most people to give up, hang up the phone and carry on as before.
Most 99% of the time when calling to cancel a mobile contract over here they try for a bit to keep you with them. I did ring T-Mobile a couple of years ago and whoever I spoke to obviously couldn't be bothered and just cancelled it without any questions. Sian was on the phone for a little while to Orange this year, they kept offering different phones, contracts, etc. even though she kept saying they don't do the phone she wanted (16GB Moto G)