Legal & Privacy
Privacy Policy
1. Data Controller
The data controller responsible for the processing described in this policy is:
Via Giacomo Rusca 10 — 6982 Agno (TI), Switzerland
Tel: +41 91 604 51 18
E-mail: info@arcaweb.ch
Website: www.arcaweb.ch
For data protection enquiries you may contact us directly at the address above. No Data Protection Officer (DPO) has been formally designated, as the processing activities do not meet the thresholds requiring mandatory appointment under Art. 37 GDPR or Art. 10 nLPD.
2. Scope
This policy covers two distinct contexts:
- The SignalMetrix Android app — a professional network quality monitoring tool. The app processes data exclusively on the user's device; no measurement data is transmitted to Arcaweb's servers.
- The website signalmetrix.app — a static informational page. The website does not use cookies, session tracking or analytics but does load fonts from Google Fonts CDN (see §7).
3. Personal Data Processed by the App
3.1 Data categories and their origin
| Category | Data elements | Source | Stored |
|---|---|---|---|
| Location data | GPS latitude, longitude, altitude, accuracy — per measurement sample | Android Location API (user permission required) | Local device only |
| Network & signal data | RSRP (dBm), RSSI, network type (NR/LTE/WCDMA/GSM), operator name, cell ID (not stored) | Android TelephonyManager (READ_PHONE_STATE permission) | Local device only |
| Measurement data | RTT (ms), packet loss (%), jitter (ms), timeout events, timestamps, target endpoint | App-generated probes (ICMP / TCP / HTTP) | Local device only |
| Device information | Device model, Android version, operator name — stored per session as context metadata | Android Build API / TelephonyManager | Local device only |
| Session metadata | Session title and notes (free text entered by the user), start/end timestamps, sample count | User input | Local device only |
| App settings | Target endpoint URL/IP, check method, interval, timeout, preferred language, theme | User configuration | SharedPreferences (local) |
3.2 Android permissions and their purpose
| Permission | Purpose | Required |
|---|---|---|
| ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION |
Geo-tag each measurement sample with GPS coordinates. Background location enables continuous tagging when the screen is off. | Optional — GPS tagging is disabled if denied |
| READ_PHONE_STATE | Read RSRP signal strength and network type from TelephonyManager. No call data, subscriber ID or IMEI is accessed or stored. | Optional — signal metrics unavailable if denied |
| POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Display the foreground service notification during active monitoring (Android 13+, API 33). | Required for background monitoring on Android 13+ |
| INTERNET | Connect to the user-configured target endpoint (default: 8.8.8.8) for RTT probes. No data is sent to Arcaweb. | Required for measurement functionality |
| FOREGROUND_SERVICE FOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC |
Run the monitoring service in the foreground, ensuring continuity when the app is in the background. | Required for background monitoring |
| REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS | Allow the user to disable battery optimisation for uninterrupted long-duration surveys. Not requested automatically. | Optional |
3.3 Network connections initiated by the app
The app connects exclusively to the user-configured target endpoint (default: 8.8.8.8, Google Public DNS). This connection carries only a minimal probe packet (ICMP Echo, TCP SYN or HTTP HEAD); no measurement metadata, device identifiers or session data are included. The selection of a target endpoint is entirely under the user's control.
The app does not connect to Arcaweb servers, analytics platforms, crash reporting or advertising networks.
4. Personal Data Processed by the Website
The website signalmetrix.app is a static page. It does not set cookies, does not use analytics, and does not log visitor IP addresses on Arcaweb's infrastructure.
The website loads typefaces (Inter, JetBrains Mono) from Google Fonts CDN. When the browser requests these files, Google may process the visitor's IP address as a technical necessity. This constitutes a data transfer to Google LLC (USA); see §7 and §8 for the applicable safeguards.
5. Legal Bases
5.1 GDPR (Art. 6) — for users in the EU/EEA
| Processing activity | Legal basis |
|---|---|
| On-device measurement processing (RTT, signal, GPS, session data) | Art. 6(1)(b) — necessary for the performance of the contract (provision of the app's core functionality at the user's request) |
| CSV export and local storage of sessions | Art. 6(1)(b) — performance of contract; Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interest (enabling professional workflow) |
| Google Fonts CDN (website only) | Art. 6(1)(f) — legitimate interest in delivering a readable, performant website using industry-standard typefaces |
| Responding to data subject requests | Art. 6(1)(c) — compliance with a legal obligation |
5.2 Swiss nLPD (Art. 6) — for users in Switzerland
Processing is based on the overriding legitimate interest of Arcaweb and the user (Art. 6(7)(b) nLPD) — specifically, the delivery of professional network measurement functionality entirely on the user's device. Since all data resides locally and no personal data is transferred to Arcaweb, the processing does not unduly infringe on the interests or fundamental rights of data subjects.
6. Retention Periods
| Data | Retention | Deletion mechanism |
|---|---|---|
| Measurement sessions and GPS samples | Until explicitly deleted by the user or the app is uninstalled | History screen → Delete session; or uninstall app |
| App settings and preferences | Until the app is uninstalled or settings are reset | Android app data clear / uninstall |
| Exported CSV files | User-managed; governed by the file system of the receiving device or app | User deletes file manually |
| Google Fonts CDN logs (website) | Google's retention policy — typically 60 days for CDN request logs | Managed by Google; see Google Privacy Policy |
Arcaweb does not hold any personal data about app users and therefore has no retention period to manage on its own infrastructure.
7. Third-Party Services
| Service | Provider | Context | Data shared |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Fonts | Google LLC, USA | Website only — typeface delivery | Visitor IP address (browser request to CDN) |
| OpenStreetMap tiles | OpenStreetMap Foundation / OSMF tile servers | App only — map rendering | Device IP address (tile requests). No session data or GPS coordinates are included in tile requests. |
| Google Play Store | Google LLC, USA | App distribution | Governed by Google Play's own privacy practices; Arcaweb has no access to individual download or install events. |
The app contains no analytics SDKs (e.g. Firebase Analytics, Mixpanel), no advertising SDKs, and no crash-reporting services (e.g. Crashlytics, Sentry) that transmit data to third parties.
8. International Data Transfers
Personal data processed by the app does not leave the user's device. No transfers to Arcaweb or any data centre occur.
The Google Fonts CDN (website) involves a transfer of the visitor's IP address to Google LLC, headquartered in the United States. This transfer is carried out on the basis of:
- GDPR: Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) under Commission Implementing Decision 2021/914, incorporated in Google's Terms of Service.
- Swiss nLPD / FDPIC adequacy list: The United States is not on the FDPIC's list of countries with adequate protection. The transfer therefore relies on appropriate safeguards pursuant to Art. 16(2)(d) nLPD (SCCs as recognised by the FDPIC).
OpenStreetMap tile servers are operated primarily in the EU/EEA, where GDPR applies by default.
9. Your Rights
Under the GDPR (Art. 15–22) and the Swiss nLPD (Art. 25–33), you have the following rights with respect to your personal data:
Obtain confirmation of whether personal data is processed about you and receive a copy thereof.
Have inaccurate personal data corrected without undue delay.
Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten") where applicable.
Request that processing is restricted in certain circumstances (GDPR only).
Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format. In the app, this is exercised via the Export CSV function.
Object to processing based on legitimate interest. Exercising this right within the app is equivalent to disabling the relevant feature or uninstalling the app.
Because the app stores all data locally, the most direct way to exercise these rights is on the device itself: sessions can be deleted in-app; all data is erased on uninstall. For any request addressed to Arcaweb (e.g. regarding website processing), contact info@arcaweb.ch. We will respond within 30 days as required by both the GDPR (Art. 12) and the nLPD (Art. 25(6)).
10. Supervisory Authorities
You have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority:
11. Automated Decision-Making & Profiling
SignalMetrix does not carry out any automated decision-making or profiling within the meaning of Art. 22 GDPR or Art. 27 nLPD. All analytical computations (MIN/AVG/MAX RTT, packet loss, signal classification) are performed locally on the device solely to display measurement results to the user.
12. Children
SignalMetrix is a professional tool intended for adult users (field engineers, network technicians). It is not directed at children under 16 years of age. Arcaweb does not knowingly process personal data of minors.
13. Changes to This Policy
Arcaweb reserves the right to update this policy to reflect changes in the app's functionality, applicable law, or regulatory guidance. The version number and the "Last updated" date at the top of this document will be incremented accordingly. For material changes, we will provide notice via the in-app settings screen (app version number update) or the Play Store release notes.
Continued use of SignalMetrix after the effective date of a revised policy constitutes acceptance of the changes, to the extent permitted by applicable law.
14. Contact
For any data protection enquiry, request to exercise your rights, or complaint:
Via Giacomo Rusca 10 — 6982 Agno (TI), Switzerland
Tel: +41 91 604 51 18
E-mail: info@arcaweb.ch
Website: www.arcaweb.ch