Seamless Cruise Wi-Fi on Douro Azul River Cruises

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.

The Connectivity Challenge

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.

The Solution: POYNTING RIPPLE-16 Antenna

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

  • Enclosure Design: The RIPPLE antenna enclosure doubles as a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device, accommodating routers up to 300 x 250 x 110 mm³. This design transforms the antenna enclosure into a compact and versatile solution.
  • Antenna Array: The RIPL-16 antenna includes 16 omni-directional, cross-polarized antennas (8 vertically and 8 horizontally polarized) to enhance performance in mobile and maritime environments.
  • Advanced Integration: Compatibility with multiple routers allows for redundancy and optimized network performance across different operators.
  • Durability: Designed for harsh environments, the RIPPLE-16 offers reliability even in challenging conditions, such as areas with signal reflections or obstructions.

Implementation and Testing

Installation

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.

Testing Process

  • The system was tested over four weeks, using cellular operators such as MEO, NOS, and a multi-operator setup.
  • Xpedite’s XMS software, developed in collaboration with POYNTING, was used to collect detailed network data throughout the journey.
  • Performance was benchmarked against data from standard outdoor, vertically polarized antennas provided by one of the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs).

Results

  • Coverage: Seamless connectivity along the 203.9 km Douro River route.
  • Speed:
    • Peak download speed: 860 Mbps.
    • Average download speed: 200 Mbps.
  • Reliability: Connectivity drop duration was limited to just 16 minutes across the week-long cruise, even in areas with weak signals.
  • Equipment: 1 x RIPPLE-16 antenna and 4 x Teltonika RUTX50 routers.

Differentiating Factors of the RIPPLE-16

  1. Scalability: Tests showed a marked reduction in performance when fewer antennas were active, underscoring the value of the full 16-antenna array.
  2. Cross-Polarized Design: Enhanced signal reception in challenging environments, such as narrow passageways and areas with signal reflections.
  3. Multi-Router Integration: Enabled redundancy and optimized network performance across multiple operators.
  4. Data-Driven Optimization: XMS software provided real-time network insights for continuous improvement.
  5. Compact Design: Allowed for effortless integration into the vessel’s infrastructure.

Customer Testimonial

“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.”

Conclusion

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.

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