Disable cellular radio in android 4.4 +

Question

How can I disable/enable cellular network in android? I need to completly disable it for a short time, and since I have android 4.4+ airplane mode is hard to use.

Is it possible to write code disabling only cellular network?

Answer 1

Controlling the Airplane Mode

Check to see if it is enabled or not:

boolean isEnabled = Settings.System.getInt(
      context.getContentResolver(), 
      Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON, 0) == 1;

To toggle it:

// toggle airplane mode
Settings.System.putInt(
      context.getContentResolver(),
      Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON, isEnabled ? 0 : 1);

// Post an intent to reload
Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_AIRPLANE_MODE_CHANGED);
intent.putExtra("state", !isEnabled);
sendBroadcast(intent);

And you can use this function:

/* Toggle airplane mode for 1 of the 4 allowed types
 * type allowed values: cell, wifi, bluetooth, nfc
 */
private void changeRadioComponentEnabled(Context context, String type, boolean radio_component_enabled, boolean reset){     
        // now toggle airplane mode from on to off, or vice versa
        Settings.System.putInt(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_ON, radio_component_enabled ? 0 : 1);

        // now change system behavior so that only one component is turned off
        // this also affects the future behavior of the system button for toggling air-plane mode. 
        // to reset it in order to maintain the system behavior, set reset to true, otherwise we lazily make sure mobile voice is always on
        Settings.System.putString(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_RADIOS, type); 

        // post an intent to reload so the menu button switches to the new state we set
        Intent intent = new Intent(Intent.ACTION_AIRPLANE_MODE_CHANGED);
        intent.putExtra("state", radio_component_enabled ? false : true);
        context.sendBroadcast(intent);

        // revert to default system behavior or not
        if (reset){ Settings.System.putString(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_RADIOS, "cell,bluetooth,wifi,nfc"); }
        // if reset to default is not chosen, always enable mobile cell at  least
        // but only if NOT changing the mobile connection...
        else if (type.indexOf("cell") == 0) { Settings.System.putString(context.getContentResolver(), Settings.System.AIRPLANE_MODE_RADIOS, "cell");}
}//end method

You need the permission android.permission.WRITE_SETTINGS

Read more at:

http://dustinbreese.blogspot.com/2009/04/andoid-controlling-airplane-mode.html

How to disable GSM connection in Android programmatically

EDIT: I read that this method is not longer possible to use Android 4.2 and above. But I think that you can read some interesting code that works in:

How to turn on/off airplane mode, even on new Android versions (and even with root)?

Toggle airplane mode in Android