Sky off network broadband, called Sky Connect is expensive (£17 a month?)and is perhaps best avoided.
Have they time to cancel Sky without any charges being applied?

Well when I moved 6 years ago, I had no phone or BB for a month, and tried an (I think) Orange dongle. Complete waste of time, it sort of worked for email but web browsing was useless as could only get a basic GPRS signal on Orange.

Vodaphone and O2 are better as they operate in the 900MHz band which has further coverage than higher frequency operators.

They're not too fussed about broadband. They got a good deal as part of a Sky Package with TV. TV got installed last week so doubt they can cancel anyway.

Just need signal to be able to make phone calls at the moment. They are on Vodafone and EE at the moment but neither have signal. Just O2 left to go.

Sky off-net broadband is amongst the worst possible, along with TalkTalk. They have to buy the BT Wholesale service and give that provision at their end a very low capacity. Congestion can be extreme.

As Apprentice advised, if they can get out of that part of the contract, they should, and go to almost any other BT Wholesale provider. Their connection speed may even be better from one of those than with Sky, and their user experience should be better.

It's just for email, and given how awful the spends will be the hassle to try and get out of contract and go elsewhere (given they don't have a phone to even have that coversation) will be too much hassle for them.

Email should not notice the problem. Browsing could. Online shopping very likely.

I know the area well. It is beautiful but very remote. The only reason the road exists is because of the Scottish Water reservoir at Fruid.

I doubt that the broadband will be usable at all. The Tweedsmuir is not at Glenbreck but further along the A701 in the direction of Broughton - probably 4-5 miles from the house and the telephone lines are extremely poor throughout this part of Tweeddale. Many people in Tweedsmuir find that even email is a struggle. There might be O2 coverage but even that will be very weak because of the topography and forget any thought of 3G.

The delights of rural broadband service in Scotland!

Thanks for this info.

I had doubts about the Internet. ADSL Checker reckons 1.5mbps with a range of 0.5-3.5. Probably going to be the very bottom of the range.

Fingers crossed for o2. Not expecting or need 3G, just need something so they can talk with family and friends

Good luck - for them. Let us know how it works out .