China: geography and layout
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.
China · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone 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. If you are specifying an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for China, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
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
WhereChina
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for China: 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile 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: Shanxi, Shaanxi and Inner Mongolia, Daqing | 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
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.
China: rules and approvals
GB 3836.15-2024 on design, selection and erection and GB 3836.16-2024 on inspection and maintenance took effect as mandatory national standards on 1 August 2025, governing installations rather than product certification.
China: rules and approvals
Phones also need the MIIT network access licence (NAL) and SRRC radio approval; the NAL is described as compulsory, valid for three years, with local testing and a local representative required.
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 · specification
Specifying an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for China
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 · China
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in China 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 mobile phone in China cost?
No price is published. While certification is in progress there is no list price and no committed lead time, and a supplier quoting a firm figure for an uncertified Ex handset is promising something it cannot stand behind. Indicative pre-launch pricing is issued in writing against a stated 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 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.
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 climate range should devices handle in northern Chinese oilfields?
Fields such as Daqing in the north-east have cold winters, while Karamay and other north-western fields are arid, so a wide operating temperature range and dust ingress protection are sensible. Confirm site limits with the operator before deployment.
Can IECEx or ATEX certificates be used in China?
An IECEx test report is reported as recognised as test evidence, but it does not replace the CCC certificate, and ATEX certificates are not accepted. Plan a separate CCC programme with a designated body, using the IECEx test work to reduce duplication where permitted.
Is the phone suitable for underground coal mines?
The design covers Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust together, matching the combined methane and coal dust exposure, but certification is in progress and no certificate exists. Underground mining is a distinct classification regime, so a mine operator would need to confirm suitability. Check requirements with the mine safety authority.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for China, other places in China, and the pages behind them.
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor 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
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · China
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for China?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.