Europe isn't like the States, it doesn't matter that T-Mobile doesn't have a foot hold in Italy, or elsewhere. Germany is an entire country to itself. For instance the Germans have a very different pattern of usage than the Italians, and a radically different contractual set up. In Italy just about everyone has a pre-paid phone and almost nobody has a contract, while the opposite it true in Germany.
For this, and many other reasons, I was always confused when people talked about a "European Launch". At least in the UK, I'd still argue it'd still make sense for Apple to go the MVNO route.
Update: Looks like someone slipped up at T-Mobile...
