Arrrrghhh being put on hold. Oh wow I can relate so much with that G.! I find it unbearable and yes it is very distracting. Especially if you are having an important conversation, it completely ruins the flow. It happened to me as well. Now, with the humble wisdom I managed to gather, I would just not put up with it. In other words, it says that you are not so important as my curiosity to see what else that other person has to say. It shows a complete disregard and a lack of emotional intelligence. Now, if this would happen, I would say : our conversation ends here, I dislike being put on hold, contact me when you are prepared and willing to have a genuine conversation. I guess people do it because no one says them it is wrong and us keeping silence in a way legitimizes their gesture. I would now speak up, regardless of what the other believes. As a popular saying stated :Those who mind, don't matter and those who matter don't mind