why did a company say they'd call when they didn't?

A reader writes:

I recently had two phone interviews with a company, which went well from what I could tell. There was lots of talk about my experience and how I could apply that to the position. The hiring manager told me that the Department Manager would call me to set up the next steps and the company seemed interested in what I had to offer. Then almost an hour later a recruiter called and said they were passing on me.

So what I am trying to figure out now, is why end a call with false information regarding the next steps?

I wouldn't assume anyone deliberately gave you false information. The company could have decided to pursue other candidates after internal discussion, either about you or about other candidates.

On the other hand, sometimes an interviewer will end an interview with that sort of statement, because it's the "I'll call you" of the interviewing world. In other words, it's a way of avoiding direct face-to-face rejection -- which can be awkward not only for the interviewer but also for the person being rejected. I agree with you that it's nicer to get an answer up front if one is known, but I think this is a pretty understandable course to take, especially since they did get back to you with a clear answer.