Get current location of user in Android without using GPS or internet

Question

Is it possible to get the current location of user without using GPS or the internet? I mean with the help of mobile network provider.

Answer 1

What you are looking to do is get the position using the LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER instead of LocationManager.GPS_PROVIDER. The NETWORK_PROVIDER will resolve on the GSM or wifi, which ever available. Obviously with wifi off, GSM will be used. Keep in mind that using the cell network is accurate to basically 500m.

http://developer.android.com/guide/topics/location/obtaining-user-location.html has some really great information and sample code.

After you get done with most of the code in OnCreate(), add this:

// Acquire a reference to the system Location Manager
LocationManager locationManager = (LocationManager) this.getSystemService(Context.LOCATION_SERVICE);

// Define a listener that responds to location updates
LocationListener locationListener = new LocationListener() {
    public void onLocationChanged(Location location) {
      // Called when a new location is found by the network location provider.
      makeUseOfNewLocation(location);
    }

    public void onStatusChanged(String provider, int status, Bundle extras) {}

    public void onProviderEnabled(String provider) {}

    public void onProviderDisabled(String provider) {}
  };

// Register the listener with the Location Manager to receive location updates
locationManager.requestLocationUpdates(LocationManager.NETWORK_PROVIDER, 0, 0, locationListener);

You could also have your activity implement the LocationListener class and thus implement onLocationChanged() in your activity.