Algeria: rules and approvals
Telecom equipment approvals are handled by two bodies: ARPCE as telecoms regulator for equipment such as mobile phones and Wi-Fi devices, and ANF for radio spectrum and some short-range devices.
Algeria · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Algeria
A Zone 1 / Zone 21 smartphone for crews in the Hassi Messaoud and Hassi R'Mel fields, the Saharan gas plants and the LNG, refining and petrochemical complexes at Arzew and Skikda. This page explains what to look for in an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Algeria, 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
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSpecification
WhereAlgeria
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Algeria: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. 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 mobile phone for Algeria
| 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 | Algeria: Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla, Hassi R'Mel, Laghouat, In Amenas, Illizi | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Algeria
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 Algeria. 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 · Algeria
Where this applies in Algeria
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Algeria market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Sonatrach
- National oil and gas company: upstream, LNG, refining and pipelines
- Eni
- Partner in Berkine basin oil and southern gas developments
- TotalEnergies
- Partner in Saharan oil and gas developments with Sonatrach
- Equinor
- Partner in the In Amenas and In Salah gas joint ventures
- Occidental
- Partner in Berkine basin oil production
- Naftal
- Fuel storage depots, distribution and LPG filling
Industrial areas and sites
- Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla
- Algeria's largest oil field and its operations base
- Hassi R'Mel, Laghouat
- The main gas field and gas processing hub
- In Amenas, Illizi
- Gas processing in the eastern Sahara
- In Salah, Tamanrasset
- Southern gas fields and processing
- Arzew and Bethioua, Oran
- LNG trains, refinery, petrochemicals and fertiliser
- Skikda
- LNG, the country's largest refinery and polyethylene
Field notes · Algeria
More about Algeria that matters for portable equipment
Algeria: rules and approvals
Algerian approval is described as relying largely on international test reports such as EU CE reports, and a local representative is still needed for the application.
Algeria: climate and equipment wear
Hassi Messaoud has a hot desert climate with average highs above 40 degrees Celsius from June to September and over 45 degrees in July, so heat dominates equipment and battery planning.
Algeria: people and language
Algeria's official languages are Arabic and Amazigh, so site signage, permits and training material may need translation or bilingual versions for local crews.
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 Algeria. Sonatrach and its international partners specify Ex equipment to IEC standards, so a procurement reviewer in Algeria would expect an IECEx Certificate of Conformity first, with an ATEX certificate beside it where a specification names the European directive. Carrying both helps joint-venture partners and contractors who bring their own equipment rules into the Saharan fields. Both certifications for the IS-04Z1 are in progress.
The route · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for Algeria
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 · Algeria
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in Algeria 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 mobile phone in Algeria 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 Algeria does this cover?
The market guide for Algeria covers Hassi Messaoud, Ouargla, Hassi R'Mel, Laghouat, In Amenas, Illizi, In Salah, Tamanrasset, 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 heat should devices be rated for in the Algerian Sahara?
Hassi Messaoud averages above 40 degrees Celsius for four months and above 45 degrees in July, so check the operating, charging and storage ranges on the datasheet and keep devices out of direct sun and closed vehicles. Confirm any site limits with the operator or contractor.
Should documents for Algerian field sites be in French or Arabic?
Arabic and Amazigh are the official languages, and French is also commonly used in business, so manuals and safety notices are often supplied in more than one language. Ask the operator or contractor which languages are required for permits, induction and equipment documentation.
Does the phone need Algerian radio approval as well as an Ex certificate?
Radio equipment needs homologation by ARPCE, the communications regulator, before import and use, separately from the Ex certificate. Both are in progress for the IS-04Z1 and neither is finished. Confirm the current requirement with Sonatrach or the partner handling procurement, who will also tell you whether French documentation is expected.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Algeria, and on other places in Algeria.
Rugged Mobile Phone in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in AlgeriaSame place, different guide
Algeria market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for AlgeriaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Algeria
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Algeria
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Algeria
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Algeria?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.