At least they got one thing right...
"T-Mobile is just reminding people that it's the phone they've bought and the service can come from anywhere"
This is as it should be, buy the phone, use it on the best service provider. If you really REALLY like your service provider (in the same manner as a favorite [insert_your_sport_here] team) then you can put their brand on it and tell the world how satisfied you are.
A contractless-smart-phone costs more than a lap-top computer... insane!