We interviewed Henry George, owner of Dolomite Creative Media, to find out why he chose a ListerGO eSIM to stay connected in India while covering a high-altitude paragliding expedition to the Himalayas.
My name is Henry George, I run Dolomite Creative Media working as a photographer & videographer specialising in adventure & extreme sports. I'm fortunate to find myself working all over the world, often in countries where I've either never been, or don't speak the language. The international aspect of my job means clear communication and staying connected is a must.
Staying connected while working in remote or unfamiliar locations is essential. Organising and managing logistics on the go for myself and other team members plays a big part in the work we do. Without it we would be unable to access, or even have knowledge of, the locations we shoot in. Beyond logistics, safety is one of the most important concerns. While we usually have contingency plans in place, having reliable mobile connections and internet access is a non-negotiable necessity. The sports I cover are inherently risky, and having reliable communications to deal with any medical emergencies is highly important. Other key considerations include things like accessing social media - essential for the brands and organisations we work with - and keeping in touch with those at home, which is always a bonus while we're away. Expeditions like this rarely involve just one business - everyone's usually operating independently, often for different companies. Having reliable connectivity meant I could stay in the loop with the whole team, no matter who they worked for.
Before discovering ListerGO eSIMs, I had two approaches. For Europe I would simply absorb the daily charges, but I realise now that this was a somewhat expensive way of doing things. It's worth noting that some countries in the EU work differently, and my blanket approach caught me out on a weekend trip to Morocco. Beyond Europe, I would try to source a local SIM card. But this has its own set of problems - not speaking the language, having to find a retailer, and the stress of getting it to work. Not to mention most of this would happen while running on fumes after a long-haul flight. The biggest challenge for my line of work would then be leaving the city and finding myself in a remote location, with dwindling credit left on a local SIM and nowhere to top it up - stressful, to say the least!
A work trip to Morocco in February sealed the deal on expensive daily roaming charges for me. I foolishly assumed EU roaming charges would apply, but little did I know my 3-day trip would leave me with around £100 to pay. If only I had known about ListerGO eSIMs, I could have done it for a tenth of that.
My biggest concern for upcoming trips was the cost. Morocco was a bit of a sting, but thankfully I was only there for a few days. I learnt my lesson, but it could have been much worse. As a business, keeping costs to a minimum on these trips is essential. There are always a few unforeseen mishaps, that's life - but when it comes to staying connected, it's something that can be easily managed to avoid any unwanted bills when you get home.
ListerGO first popped up ahead of an expedition to India. I was due to be in the Himalayas for a month covering a high-altitude paragliding expedition. My knowledge of eSIMs was vague at that point, but after a visit to the ListerGO site I was surprised to see hundreds of countries covered, and also several options for each country - anything from data for a few days to months' worth, with a number of GBs to suit all kinds of usage, all the way up to unlimited.
Our expedition took us to the state of Uttarakhand in the far north of India, which lies adjacent to the western border of Nepal. We were there for high altitude paragliding, where Benjamin Kellett and Matt Johnston would attempt to fly up to India's highest mountain, Nanda Devi (7,816m). Our aim was to capture content for brand sponsors and partnerships while exploring this incredible part of the Himalayas.
An eSIM for this expedition was the ideal option. The biggest benefits were: Stress free - I could load it before I left the UK, meaning I could hit the ground running in India. I could immediately communicate with the team as soon as I got off the flight and handle essential onward travel logistics. A known cost - I could easily add it to financial budgets for the trip rather than racking up unknown expenses. In total I spent around £40 for the month and had access to continuous data in areas where wifi was very patchy. No need to speak the local language or track down a local vendor on arrival - not the easiest task in New Delhi without any internet access! Ironically, after all my pre-planning, I accompanied a team member to a local vendor later in the trip in an attempt to get a local SIM card. It took nearly three hours, visiting multiple shops with countless language barrier problems. One big issue we found was that if you're not a resident of India, it can be very hard to get a local SIM card. Just another reason to load an eSIM and forget about it.
Purchasing the eSIM was as straightforward as any online purchase. I selected the product, paid with Apple Pay, and then received an email shortly afterwards with clear instructions on how to install it. Slick and easy!
I set up my eSIM while having a coffee in departures at Heathrow airport - I could add it as an additional SIM in my iPhone and then toggle between my UK number and the eSIM for India. As soon as I touched down in Delhi I turned off my UK SIM and turned on the Indian one, and it worked instantly. There are a few steps to loading the eSIM, but ListerGO's guide was easy to follow and very straightforward.
Aside from the stress my colleague experienced getting a local SIM to begin with, the biggest difference was our internet speeds and connections. I was immediately connected to a reliable data service, whereas his connectivity was often intermittent. Having that noticeable difference was a real benefit, allowing us to fulfil basic work requirements while operating in these high mountain villages. My eSIM wasn’t linked to a single provider, giving me the best service depending on where I was.
I can't recommend an eSIM enough. It's a simple, stress-free way of managing your communications with a known cost, often considerably less than local rates. Whether you're travelling for work or pleasure, I think reliable connectivity is essential to a successful trip. If it were me, I would opt for the unlimited data option every time - just load it up, forget about it, and enjoy the trip!
Yes, 100%. There are so many benefits to a ListerGO eSIM, whether it's cost, ease of use, etc., but fundamentally it just works. When working for clients abroad, reliable connectivity means content can be processed quickly and delivered on the go from remote locations so deadlines are met on time. Footage and images are generally data heavy, so a reliable connection that handles prolonged upload times is something I really value.
My next adventure is taking me on a road trip through the Alps, split between work and pleasure. I'll be away for a few weeks, so I'll definitely be looking for an eSIM to keep my costs down and offer me reliable, speedy internet for those all important work days spread across the trip.
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