"like a contract"
the whole point is to NOT have contracts. plus, there aren't a lot of phone options to buy from at the moment if you don't buy from wind.
UM.. They did sort of. You buy your phone and you get a better price and not just for 36 months either... and no contract. Look carefully - that's exactly what they're doing.
T-mobile does this in a way, if you choose to use a contract/subsidize your phone, you pay a little bit more plan wise, but if you buy the phone for the full price(which T-mobile doesn't charge alot for) you get a lower plan rate.