[qasdfdsaq]

Indeed, coverage is stated by population rather than area, and yes most of Scotland is sparsely populated.

However if you get Orange 2G you should also get 3, since 3 roams onto Orange 2G network wherever they (supposedly) don't have 3G coverage. 3 customers should have access to *all* of Orange and T-Mobile's 2G networks except in areas where they feel they have such good 3G coverage of their own there is no need.

Personally I'm finding much of rural Scotland actually has far better coverage than I became used to expecting, having lived in it 10 years ago, where barely getting 2G was a chore - now everywhere I go that used to have borderline 2G has 42Mbps 3G DC-HSPA+

Incidentally EE still claim to be on a rampage to upgrade 99.9% of their 2G transmitters to the hilariously inefficient 3G by the end of next year, having previously stated they intend to upgrade them all to 4G and later quietly dropping that statement...