China: rules and approvals
ATEX certificates and Eurasian certificates are not accepted in China, and the applicant for CCC may be a foreign company.
China · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Cell Phone Distributor in China
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe handset for people who cross into classified areas in China every shift: oilfield and refinery operators, coal-mining safety officers, petrochemical engineers, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. China's land-based oil resources are mostly in the north, with large fields at Daqing, Shengli, Liaohe, Karamay and Dagang, so cold-climate and arid-climate sites are both common. An ATEX and IECEx cell phone distributor in China would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereChina
Short answer. China has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx cell phone for China
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | China: Daqing, Shengli oilfield, Zhoushan / Ningbo | Classified by the site operator |
Product · China
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in China. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · China
Where this applies in China
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS China market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Sinopec
- China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation — refining, petrochemicals and retail nationwide
- PetroChina (CNPC)
- Upstream oil and gas production and refining
- China Energy Investment Corporation
- The world’s largest coal producer, formed from Shenhua and Guodian
- CNOOC
- Offshore oil and gas production
- Yanzhou Coal / Yankuang
- Major coal mining group in Shandong and beyond
- Daqing Oilfield
- One of China’s largest and oldest producing oilfields
Industrial areas and sites
- Shanxi
- China’s largest coal-producing province
- Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia
- Major coal mining and coal-chemical regions
- Daqing
- Heilongjiang oilfield, one of the largest in China
- Shengli oilfield
- Major producing field in Shandong
- Zhoushan / Ningbo
- Large-scale coastal refining and petrochemical hub
- Maoming
- Refining and petrochemical complex in Guangdong
Field notes · China
More about China that matters for portable equipment
China: rules and approvals
CNCA designated six certification bodies and 13 testing laboratories for Ex products, and an IECEx test report may serve as test evidence but does not replace the CCC certificate.
China: background
The Daqing field in Heilongjiang, discovered in 1959 in the Songhua Jiang-Liao basin, has been the backbone of Chinese oil production for decades, and Shengli began producing in 1968.
China: rules and approvals
The current implementing rule is CNCA-C23-01:2024, in force since 1 May 2024, and certification has been to the 2021 editions of GB/T 3836 since 1 May 2022.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In China. In China NEPSI is the Ex certification authority, and the technical evidence behind it is typically aligned with an IECEx Certificate of Conformity, so a reviewer at Sinopec or PetroChina would ask for the NEPSI certificate first. An IECEx and ATEX dual route helps foreign contractors on petrochemical projects. All certification is in progress.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in China
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for China. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in China.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · China
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx cell phone in China today?
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
What does an ATEX and IECEx cell phone in China cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which sites in China does this cover?
The market guide for China covers Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia, Daqing, Shengli oilfield, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for China?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for China.
What radio and network approvals does a smartphone need in China?
In addition to CCC where applicable, radio devices need SRRC approval and phones connecting to public networks need the MIIT network access licence. The NAL is described as compulsory, valid for three years, with local testing and a local representative. Confirm the current requirements with MIIT or an accredited body.
Do Ex phones need a CCC mark in China?
Products that fall within the explosion-protected electrical category of the CCC catalogue may not be sold, imported or used in business without a CCC certificate and mark, to the GB/T 3836 series. Check with a CNCA-designated body whether a given product falls within that catalogue scope.
Does NEPSI certification mean a Chinese operator will accept the phone?
No: Sinopec, PetroChina and the major coal producers each run their own equipment-approval and procurement process, so a device can be NEPSI-certified and still unlisted. NEPSI and SRRC are being pursued and are not finished. Confirm the listing route with the operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on China, and on other places in China.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
China market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for ChinaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · China
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for China
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · China
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for China?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.