Background

When Rare TV took on Extreme Airport Africa, they weren’t messing around. Five countries. Five months. A rotating crew of 30. And a whole lot of WhatsApp.

With filming locations across South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Madagascar, the stakes were high- and so were the altitudes (helicopter scenes, anyone?). Production Manager Holly Hubble needed telecoms that could keep up with the chaos.

Lucky for her, she’d worked with GTN before. From Argentina to Chile on Celebrity Race Across the World, we’d already proven we could handle complex international logistics. So when the call came in? We were ready for action (and better signal bars).

The Challenge

Growing a global restaurant group with multiple legacy phone systems

Lights, Camera… Buffering? Not on Our Watch.

Filming across five countries. Crew constantly on the move. Helicopter rides, risk assessments, WhatsApp workflows, and scenes shot on smartphones. It was a production dream - with a telecom nightmare waiting in the wings.

Rare TV’s production team needed mobile connectivity that could keep up with their globe-trotting, app-juggling, edge-of-your-seat schedule. The brief?

1. Reliable SIMs that worked across five African nations

2. Zero-hassle SIM management for rotating crew on the fly

3. Real-time support, even in remote areas

4. Clear cost visibility (because no one likes surprise data bills)

As Production Manager Holly put it:

“We run everything off WhatsApp, and sometimes even film on our phones. Without connectivity, we’d grind to a halt.”

The Solution

Choosing a trusted partner with a hosted telephony service

GTN delivered a telecom setup so slick, it practically deserved its own IMDb listing. (Note to self: pitch “The SIM Supremacy” as a spin-off.) When production chaos loomed, we showed up with the calm, the clarity, and the connectivity.

1. Global SIMs & eSIMs
   Our international SIMs worked across the UK and Southern Africa like a dream. Plug in, power up, get filming.

   
   

2. Flexible SIM Allocation
   Cast and crew changes? Tight turnaround? No problem. Holly could allocate SIMs on the fly, like a digital Mary Poppins - except her bag was full of bandwidth.

   
   

3. Real-Time Spend Monitoring
   We set up alerts to stop data usage spiraling into budget horror stories.

   
   

4. 24/7 Support from Real Humans
   Midnight panic? Remote reboot? We were there. No bots, no scripts - just fast, friendly help.

“The eSIMs made it so easy. I could allocate them as crew arrived, and adjust on the go. Invaluable.” - Holly Hubble, Production Manager, Rare TV

The Results:

Connectivity So Good, It Deserved Its Own Credit Roll 

• Seamless Workflow
  Video files, risk approvals, crew comms - all moving faster than a stunt helicopter. No downtime, no dropped calls, no WhatsApp woes.

  
  

• Hassle-Free Logistics
  SIM allocation? Handled. Crew rotations? Smooth as the director’s chair spin. Rare TV’s team could focus on production, not fiddling with settings or chasing signal.

  
  

• Safety First

  Pilots and producers stayed in sync. Critical safety comms were instant, keeping the team informed and operations safe, even mid-air.

  
  

• Predictable Costs
  No mystery charges. Just controlled, transparent billing. (Our invoices don’t do plot twists.)

  
  

• HassleFree Logistics
  SIM allocation? Handled. Crew rotations? Smooth as the director’s chair spin. Rare TV’s team could focus on production, not fiddling with settings or chasing signal.

  
  

  Holly said it best: “If we hadn’t had good cell service, it would’ve been a nightmare. GTN helped us approve risk assessments and stay safe- instantly.”

Conclusion

Rare TV had a complex brief. GTN made it simple.

Holly didn’t need another supplier, she needed a partner who got it. Who understood that when you’re filming helicopters landing in remote Africa, “Can you hear me now?” isn’t the vibe. With GTN on their side, the crew stayed connected, the SIMs stayed sorted, and the production stayed on track, across borders, time zones, and one very ambitious filming schedule.

The result? Zero telecom headaches. Full creative focus. Happy production teams (and even happier budget meetings).

GTN isn’t just about keeping the signal strong. We’re about keeping your story moving.Wherever your team needs to be - we’ll make sure your comms are already there.