Some people in life are just inconsiderate, plain-and-simple. Whether you are a potential employer or just a Joe Blow, if you say you're going to call or email someone, you should do it. To not is simply not cool and not professional. As technical recruiter John Muniz points out, 'How hard is it to call someone back?', and he also noted to not do so is very short-sighted because you simply never know if you might actually need in the future that someone you've left hanging.
Be that as it may, we all know there are people in business like that everywhere. It's just part of the hassle of finding a job, not worth getting upset about.
The flip side is that you shouldn't put any weight into promises made by a potential employer. Talk's very cheap, either they will do what they promise to do or they won't and you'll know if/when they actually do it. Not counting on those promises certainly isn't going to hurt your chances for any job. But it'll help you from feeling as disappointed when most potential employers inevitably don't do what they promised to do.
Should you contact them instead if they fail to contact you as promised? Sure, what do you have to lose? Just keep in mind that a failure of a potential employer to treat you with respect is something you should keep in mind if/when it comes down to deciding on whether to take a job from them. If they treat you with disrespect before they hire you, that doesn't bode well for after you start the job.
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