VKLink RTK Bridge Privacy Policy

Android app: VKLink RTK Bridge (au.com.vklink.phonebridge)
Published and effective: 4 November 2026

VKLink provides VKLink RTK Bridge. This policy explains how this app and the VKLink correction service handle information when you use the bridge. For privacy questions, access, correction, complaints or account/data deletion requests, use the RTK Bridge privacy contact form. You do not need to log in to make a request.

In brief: the app connects a paired Bluetooth serial adapter to VKLink's Internet correction service. It sends your correction login and, when available, your connected receiver's precise position to VKLink. It does not use the phone's GPS. The current correction connection is not encrypted with TLS.

1. What the app does

You choose a paired Bluetooth Classic serial device and start a connection. The app connects to the fixed VKLink NTRIP endpoint vkl.ink:8001 and passes correction bytes to that device without converting their correction format. This app is free to download, but a suitable VKLink correction-service account is required; free download does not mean free or unlimited correction service. This policy is separate from the Field Mapper app and other VKLink products.

2. Information sent to VKLink

Your NTRIP machine username and password, used to authenticate the correction connection.
The requested correction stream (mountpoint) and an app-identifying User-Agent/version.
When supplied by your connected receiver, a valid NMEA GGA sentence. This can contain precise latitude and longitude, UTC time, altitude, fix quality, satellite count, dilution of precision and geoid information. The latest valid positioned GGA is sent when available at connection and approximately every ten seconds during streaming.
Your connection's source IP address and connection timing, which are visible to the service.

The app does not fabricate a position or substitute phone GPS coordinates. Not requesting Android location permission does not mean that receiver location stays on your phone. Disconnecting stops the bridge session; it cannot retract data already received by VKLink.

3. Information stored on your phone

App-private settings include the username, mountpoint, selected Bluetooth address, desired serial baud setting, optional legacy SPP selection, appearance and permission-flow preferences. The saved password is encrypted using AES-GCM with a non-exportable Android Keystore key. Other preferences are private app settings, not all individually encrypted.

Paired device names and addresses are displayed locally for selection. The selected Bluetooth address is not inserted into NTRIP requests. The latest receiver GGA and byte/activity counters are held in memory; the app does not implement a position-history file, an analytics database or an automatic crash-report upload service. Android app backup is disabled, with cloud-backup and device-transfer exclusions.

4. Permissions and background operation

Bluetooth/Nearby devices permissions allow connection to a device you have already paired. Legacy Android versions use their Bluetooth permissions. The app does not actively scan for Bluetooth devices and does not request phone GPS/location, contacts, camera, microphone, phone-number or general storage access.

Internet/network-state access, a connected-device foreground service and a wake lock support a connection you start, including while the screen is locked. Where allowed, a visible notification provides a Disconnect action. Android 13 and later may ask for notification permission; declining it does not prevent the connection service, and you can stop the connection in the app or Android's active-app controls. The app does not start automatically at boot or silently restart itself after a force-stop.

5. How VKLink uses and handles service data

VKLink uses authentication, connection and receiver-position information to deliver appropriate corrections, operate account and machine diagnostics/maps, provide technical support and protect the service from misuse. The service can retain machine/account identifiers, source IP addresses, requested streams, connection timestamps, authentication results, receiver position and operational diagnostics in server records. Authorised VKLink personnel and account administrators with relevant service permissions can access information needed for those functions.

The app contains no advertising SDK, advertising-ID collection, analytics SDK, automatic crash-upload SDK or payment/billing library. It does not sell information or send it to an advertising service. Service information may be handled by infrastructure/hosting providers needed to operate VKLink, or disclosed where legally required. The fixed caster is a VKLink service, not a user-selected third-party caster. Your mobile network and Bluetooth equipment also carry the connection under their own services and security arrangements.

6. Important connection-security limitation

The current NTRIP connection to vkl.ink:8001 uses unencrypted TCP, not TLS. Its HTTP Basic authentication encodes credentials with Base64; Base64 is not encryption. Credentials, receiver GGA and correction data are not protected by TLS on that Internet connection and may be exposed to parties able to observe the traffic. Use a dedicated VKLink correction password, not a password reused for email, banking or another account.

Password encryption on your phone and HTTPS on this policy webpage do not encrypt the correction connection. The normal Bluetooth connection uses paired secure RFCOMM; the optional, explicitly selected legacy SPP mode uses Android's insecure RFCOMM interface. Bluetooth security is separate from Internet transport security. No storage or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure.

7. Retention and deletion

Local settings remain until you change or remove them. Disconnect closes the session. Forget Login stops the bridge and clears its saved connection settings; appearance preferences can remain. Clearing app storage or uninstalling removes ordinary app-private data, but is not a promise of forensic erasure. None of those actions deletes your VKLink server account, service logs, website records or independently retained backups.

Server records are separate from app storage. Account and service records are retained to operate and support the service, meet applicable record-keeping obligations, protect security and resolve disputes. Operational logs are subject to their respective rotation and retention arrangements; there is not a single guaranteed deletion period covering every service record or backup.

To request access, correction, deletion of service data or closure of your VKLink account, use the RTK Bridge privacy contact form. State your account email or machine username and what you want removed. Do not send your password. We may need to verify your authority. We will explain any records that must be retained for legal, transaction, security or dispute-related reasons. Removing an account can stop access to correction services. Restricted backup copies may remain until replaced or expired; deleting active records does not immediately erase every backup.

8. Your choices and policy updates

You control whether to start or stop a connection, which paired device to select, whether to enable legacy SPP and whether to keep saved login settings. You can change permissions in Android settings; refusing Bluetooth access prevents that connection. The app is intended for agricultural/equipment users and is not directed at children.

We will publish changes here with an updated effective date as the app or service changes. For questions or a privacy complaint, use the contact form above.