Is Bluetooth a viable option for a multiplayer turn based game?

So I'm currently developing a multiplayer turn-based card game. I'm done all the core game logic and UI, and just trying to figure out the best method of trying to make it multiplayer, with it connecting thru multiple phones. Right now, it seems my only option is Bluetooth, which from what I've researched is a very poor option, especially due to the fact that there's no support for it in emulators. So I'm wondering if there are any alternatives. The alternatives needs the following:

The ability to have what is essentially a "Game Lobby" where players can join "Rooms" (Similar to the ones of many other multiplayer games such as Call of Duty)
Supports API level 8 and above
Connects up to a maximum of 6 players
Does not require the Internet in order the play (This is the most important one)
Does not require any payment in my part (No servers)
Preferably easy to test on emulators

I've also considered direct-WIFI, but it requires API 14, which makes the game unavailable to over half the Android market.

Also, if there isn't any other option, is there an SDK or tutorial for multiplayer Bluetooth turn-based games? And is it even possible to have the ability to have "Game Lobbies" using bluetooth without the devices being paired?

Solution

Using Bluetooth fits your list of requirements, and I don't see any other way short of wifi which you ruled out.

As far as I know the Bluetooth communications must be implemented using a client-server model. For example one player must start the game, he will host your Game Lobby, and the other players can connect to it. The host probably also want to play, so you have to implement it in a way that the main "game engine" can communicate with two kinds of players: remote over Bluetooth, and local (the host himself). This is probably a bit tricky but doable.

I'm not sure if there is a limit on the number of active Bluetooth connections. 3 devices at the same time worked fine for me on a pretty old phone (API version 4). However, battery ran out much faster.

About the pairing... The devices I worked with (not phones) were using Bluetooth in server mode, and I had to pair with all of them to use. By the same logic, I think the players will all have to pair with the server (the phone that starts the game).