Not only does Sky+ work without a telephone connection, what appears to be little known by anybody - including Sky Customer Services - is that if you live outside of the UK there is NO contractual requirement whatsoever to connect to a telephone line.
That means you're NEVER going to get a letter from Sky threatening to downgrade your subscription and remove the ability to record with your Sky+, which could happen if you live in the UK. Just don't let them know you're abroad though.
The confusion arises, as far as I can see, because if you live in the UK the whole world and his dog orders Sky+ through Sky, as it's cheaper and far more convenient to do it this way. But this does mean you're entirely in the hands of Sky. You'd have to sign a Sky+ contract, and be satisfied with the Sky+ box they give you. If the box goes wrong Sky will replace it - but with a "reburbished" box, which I think is verging on the criminal. That's the reason I believe that so many customers get through so many boxes.
The Sky+ contract states that you
must keep the box connected to a telephone line for 1 year, but (in small letters) ONLY if it's been installed by a Sky engineer. This clause does NOT apply if you've had the box installed independently.
If you're living abroad, one thing is certain - you most certainly will not have installed your Sky+ through Sky. You most certainly will have done it independently.
You will NOT be presented with a Sky+ contract anyway, as Sky does NOT require you to take out a new contract. Your existing (non Sky+) contract will apply - and there is NOTHING in this at all to say that you have to have Sky+ connected to a telephone line.
Another advantage of not buying from Sky directly is that if anything goes wrong you will get a new box from your supplier, and not some "refurbished" crap.
A word of warning: be careful who you buy your Sky+ from. In particular, don't get it from Comet. I phoned them up and asked what would happen If I installed Sky+ myself, and would it nullify the 1 year warrenty. Their reply was that if the box is installed by anybody other than a qualified Sky engineer, the warrenty is null and void. Thankyou Comet.
I'd recommend getting Sky+ from
Simply Digital. At 179 pounds they are 20 pounds cheaper than everybody else, and deliver free of charge within the UK - 25 pounds abroard. I phoned them up and they confirmed that if you install it yourself it does not nullify the 1 year warrenty.
Xerxes