Required Permissions
Network Survey requires several Android permissions to function properly. This page explains each permission, why it’s needed, and what happens if you deny it.
Overview
Section titled “Overview”When you first launch Network Survey, you’ll be prompted to grant the following permissions:
- Make and Manage Phone Calls (Phone State)
- Access this Device’s Location (Location)
- Access Files (Storage)
- Notifications
Additionally, some features require:
- Find Nearby Devices (Bluetooth)
- Background Location (for start at boot)
- Camera (for scanning QR codes)
Phone State Permission (Make and Manage Phone Calls)
Section titled “Phone State Permission (Make and Manage Phone Calls)”Permission Name
Section titled “Permission Name”android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE
android.permission.READ_PHONE_NUMBERS (optional, CDR version only)
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Accessing cellular network information (LTE, 5G, etc.)
- Determining the current network type (LTE vs UMTS vs 5G)
- Logging Call Detail Record (CDR) events
Important Clarifications
Section titled “Important Clarifications”Network Survey does NOT:
- Make phone calls
- End phone calls
- Manage or control your phone calls
- Access your call history
- Read or modify contact information
This permission name is misleading—Android requires this permission to access cellular network state, not to actually make or manage calls.
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- Cellular survey will not work
- You won’t see serving cell information
- No cellular data will be logged
- Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GNSS surveys will still work
How to Grant Later
Section titled “How to Grant Later”- Open Android Settings
- Navigate to Apps → Network Survey → Permissions
- Select Phone
- Choose Allow
Location Permission
Section titled “Location Permission”Permission Names
Section titled “Permission Names”android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION
android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION
android.permission.ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION (optional)
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Accessing Wi-Fi network details (Android requires location permission for Wi-Fi scanning)
- Accessing cellular network details
- Recording GPS coordinates for geo-tagged survey data
- Writing location data to log files
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- Almost all features will not work
- No GPS coordinates
- No Wi-Fi scanning (Android restriction)
- No cellular network details
- No GNSS satellite data
- Cannot write location-tagged log files
Background Location Permission
Section titled “Background Location Permission”What it allows:
- Starting surveys automatically when the device boots
How to grant: After the initial setup, Android will prompt you to grant background location. Select “Allow all the time” when asked ONLY if you want to start surveying when the phone starts up.
Storage Permission (Access Files)
Section titled “Storage Permission (Access Files)”Permission Names
Section titled “Permission Names”android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE (Android 12 and below)
android.permission.READ_MEDIA_IMAGES (Android 13+, limited scope)
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Writing log files (GeoPackage and CSV) to device storage
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- File logging will not work
- Cannot save survey data to GeoPackage or CSV files
- MQTT and gRPC streaming will still work (doesn’t require file access)
How to Grant Later
Section titled “How to Grant Later”- Open Android Settings
- Navigate to Apps → Network Survey → Permissions
- Select Files and media or Storage
- Choose Allow
Notifications Permission
Section titled “Notifications Permission”Permission Name
Section titled “Permission Name”android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS (Android 13+)
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Displaying a foreground service notification when a survey is running
- Alerting you to important events (e.g., new tower detected)
- Keeping you informed of upload progress
Why It’s Required
Section titled “Why It’s Required”Android requires a visible notification for any app running location services in the background. This ensures:
- Transparency: You always know when Network Survey is running
- Battery awareness: You’re aware of background activity
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- On Android 13+: The app may not be able to run surveys in the background
- You won’t receive notifications about new towers or survey events
- Less transparency about when the app is running
Bluetooth Permission (Find Nearby Devices)
Section titled “Bluetooth Permission (Find Nearby Devices)”Permission Name
Section titled “Permission Name”android.permission.BLUETOOTH_SCAN (Android 12+)
android.permission.BLUETOOTH (Android 11 and below)
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Performing Bluetooth scans to discover nearby devices
- Collecting Bluetooth device information for survey
Important Clarifications
Section titled “Important Clarifications”Network Survey does NOT:
- Connect to Bluetooth devices
- Pair with Bluetooth devices
- Send or receive data via Bluetooth
- Control or manage your Bluetooth connections
Network Survey does NOT connect to Bluetooth devices. It only scans for nearby devices to log their information.
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- Bluetooth survey will not work
- All other features (Cellular, Wi-Fi, GNSS) will continue to work normally
How to Grant Later
Section titled “How to Grant Later”- Open Android Settings
- Navigate to Apps → Network Survey → Permissions
- Select Nearby devices or Bluetooth
- Choose Allow
Camera Permission (Optional)
Section titled “Camera Permission (Optional)”Permission Name
Section titled “Permission Name”android.permission.CAMERA
What Network Survey Uses It For
Section titled “What Network Survey Uses It For”- Scanning QR codes for MQTT broker configuration
- Scanning QR codes for NS Analytics device registration
What Happens If You Deny This Permission
Section titled “What Happens If You Deny This Permission”- Cannot scan QR codes
- Must manually enter connection settings for MQTT
- All other features work normally
CDR Version Additional Permissions
Section titled “CDR Version Additional Permissions”If you’re using the CDR version (from F-Droid, IzzyOnDroid, or GitHub), you may see additional permission requests:
Read Phone Numbers (Optional)
Section titled “Read Phone Numbers (Optional)”Permission: android.permission.READ_PHONE_NUMBERS
Purpose: Allows logging the “other” device’s phone number in CDR files
If denied: CDR logging still works, but the phone number won’t be included
Read SMS
Section titled “Read SMS”Permission: android.permission.READ_SMS
Purpose: Allows logging SMS events to CDR files
If denied: SMS events won’t be logged in CDR files
Permission Summary Table
Section titled “Permission Summary Table”| Permission | Required? | Purpose | Impact if Denied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location (Fine) | ✅ Yes | GPS, Wi-Fi, Cellular, GNSS | Most features disabled |
| Phone State | ✅ Yes | Cellular network data | No cellular surveys |
| Bluetooth Scan | ⚠️ Optional | Bluetooth device discovery | No Bluetooth surveys |
| Storage | ⚠️ Optional | File logging | No file logging |
| Notifications | ⚠️ Optional | Survey status alerts | Less transparency |
| Background Location | ⚠️ Optional | Background surveys | No start at boot |
| Camera | ⬜ Optional | QR code scanning | Must type connection details |
Granting Permissions After Initial Setup
Section titled “Granting Permissions After Initial Setup”If you denied permissions initially and want to grant them later:
- Open Android Settings
- Navigate to Apps or Applications
- Find and select Network Survey
- Tap Permissions
- Select the permission you want to grant
- Choose Allow or Allow all the time (for background location)
Privacy Considerations
Section titled “Privacy Considerations”Network Survey takes your privacy seriously:
- No Accounts Required: Use the app without any registration (except for NS Analytics sync)
- Data Stays Local: All data remains on your device unless you explicitly choose to upload or stream
- Open Source: The full source code is available for review on GitHub
- No Ads: Network Survey is completely free with no advertisements
For more information, see the Privacy Policy page.
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Battery Optimization - Configure battery settings for reliable surveys
- Build Variants - Understand the difference between Regular and CDR versions
- Quick Start Guide - Start your first survey