Chile: rules and approvals
The SUBTEL application goes through a local legal representative, FCC or CE test reports are typically accepted, and SUBTEL does not currently mandate a compliance label.
Chile · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Cell Phone in Chile
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe handset for people who cross into classified areas in Chile every shift: copper and lithium plant operators in the Atacama, refinery crews at Concón, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx cell phone for Chile, and where the IS-04Z1 stands against that list today.
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
RouteSpecification
WhereChile
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Chile: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
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 Chile
| 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 | Chile: Chuquicamata / Calama, Escondida, Salar de Atacama | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Chile
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 Chile. 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 · Chile
Where an Ex phone is used in Chile
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Chile market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Codelco
- State copper miner — Chuquicamata, El Teniente and other major divisions
- BHP / Minera Escondida
- Operator of Escondida, the world’s largest copper mine
- SQM
- Sociedad Química y Minera — lithium and potassium extraction on the Atacama salt flats
- Antofagasta Minerals
- Major private copper mining group
- Collahuasi
- Anglo American and Glencore joint-venture copper mine
- ENAP
- Empresa Nacional del Petróleo — state refining at Concón and Biobío, and Magallanes gas production
Industrial areas and sites
- Chuquicamata / Calama
- Codelco’s giant open-pit copper mine and smelting operations
- Escondida
- Concentrator and processing complex in the Atacama highlands
- Salar de Atacama
- Lithium and potassium brine extraction ponds
- Collahuasi
- High-altitude copper mine near the Bolivian border
- Concón
- ENAP refinery on the central coast near Viña del Mar
- Magallanes
- Southern gas production region near Punta Arenas
Field notes · Chile
More about Chile that matters for portable equipment
Chile: rules and approvals
SEC certifies listed electrical products, which must carry the SEC mark, and certificates remain valid while the design is unchanged, though SEC may audit products already on the market.
Chile: industry on the ground
Mining accounts for about 14 per cent of GDP, or around 20 per cent including linked activity, and about 3 per cent of the workforce works directly in mines and quarries.
Chile: logistics and access
Chile's customs service works with SUBTEL and SEC, and non-certified products in mandatory categories can be held at the border, so importers should carry certificates and technical documents.
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 Chile. Chilean operators work from an IECEx Certificate of Conformity, so a Codelco, Escondida or SQM reviewer would ask for that first, with SEC conformity marking being pursued alongside. An ATEX certificate beside it helps international mining contractors and EPCs working on the Atacama copper and lithium sites. Certification is in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx cell phone for Chile
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
Check on the paper
- Marking
- Equipment group, category, protection concept, gas group and temperature class, matched to the area drawing.
- Certificate and schedule
- A certificate number, issuing body and the schedule of conditions, not a brochure claim.
- Standards edition
- The IEC 60079 or national standard edition the certificate was issued against.
Check for the IS-04Z1
- Marking target
- II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: a target, not yet a certificate.
- Certificate status
- IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 in progress; none issued.
- Operator approval
- Separate from the certificate and handled with the site operator.
Questions · Chile
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx cell phone in Chile today?
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
What does an ATEX and IECEx cell phone in Chile cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
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 Chile does this cover?
The market guide for Chile covers Chuquicamata / Calama, Escondida, Salar de Atacama, Collahuasi, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Is intrinsically safe the same as explosion proof?
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
What approval does a mobile phone need in Chile?
SUBTEL approval is needed for radio and telecom devices before they are imported or sold, normally through a local legal representative and with FCC or CE test reports. SUBTEL does not currently require a specific label. Confirm current requirements with SUBTEL or an agent before shipment.
Can electrical products with chargers need SEC certification in Chile?
SEC certification applies to listed electrical products such as power adapters and chargers, which must be tested in a recognised laboratory and carry the SEC mark. Whether your accessories are on the mandatory list should be checked with SEC or an accredited body before import.
Will altitude and temperature swings affect the handset?
Many Atacama sites sit above 3,000 metres with big day-to-night swings and intense UV. The build is designed for that spread and the display for outdoor use, but the certified ambient range is stated only when the certificate issues. Check that range against site extremes and trial a unit.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Chile, other places in Chile, and the pages behind them.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in ChileSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in ChileSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in ChileSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in ChileSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in ChileSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in ChileSame place, different guide
Chile market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for ChileEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Chile
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Chile
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Chile
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Chile?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.