Douro Azul is a premier cruise operator in Portugal, specializing in luxury river cruises along the picturesque Douro River. Known for its impeccable service and state-of-the-art vessels, Douro Azul offers an exceptional travel experience to its guests. A crucial part of their commitment to excellence is ensuring passengers have access to reliable internet connectivity throughout their week-long journeys, enhancing comfort and convenience.
Douro Azul faced significant challenges in providing stable, high-speed internet connectivity due to the region's unique geography. The Douro River is characterized by steep slopes, deep valleys, and sparse population density, resulting in numerous "dead zones" with weak or no network signals. These issues were especially pronounced in remote areas like Barca de Alva. Reliable connectivity was critical for maintaining passenger satisfaction and supporting operational requirements, but existing solutions failed to meet the required performance and stability.
To address these challenges, Douro Azul implemented the POYNTING RIPPLE-16 antenna, integrated with four Teltonika RUTX50 routers. The system was rigorously tested over a four-week period, using different cellular operators to evaluate performance across varying conditions.
Key Features of the RIPPLE-16
The RIPPLE-16 antenna was installed on Douro Azul’s Amadouro vessel. The installation was seamless, and the compact design integrated easily with the ship’s infrastructure.
Differentiating Factors of the RIPPLE-16
“At Douro Azul, we face significant challenges with maintaining reliable internet connectivity along the Douro River. Our vessel’s operations, including navigation, communication, and passenger services, require a robust and stable internet connection that traditional antennas struggle to provide. Therefore, we decided to test the POYNTING RIPPLE-16 antenna, known for its wideband coverage, high gain, and omni-directional design. The antenna was installed on the Amadouro vessel. The installation was straightforward, and the antenna’s performance exceeded our expectations. We believe that the POYNTING RIPPLE-16 antenna will be a game-changer for our operations on the Douro River.”
The POYNTING RIPPLE-16 antenna provided Douro Azul with a cutting-edge connectivity solution, significantly improving internet stability and performance along the Douro River. With peak download speeds of 860 Mbps and an average speed of 200 Mbps, the solution ensured passenger satisfaction and operational efficiency. This successful implementation highlights the potential of POYNTING’s antennas in overcoming connectivity challenges in even the most demanding environments.
POYNTING extends its gratitude to Douro Azul’s IT team for their collaboration during the testing phase. It is through partnerships with industry leaders that POYNTING continues to innovate and develop superior connectivity solutions for diverse applications.