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.
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 sets out how an ATEX and IECEx smartphone supply route to Chile will work for the IS-04Z1, and what is and is not available before launch.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. An ATEX and IECEx smartphone for Chile cannot be bought yet: the SAMS IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued), and the datasheet, certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| 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: Concón, Magallanes, Chuquicamata / Calama | Classified by the site operator |

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.
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Chile market guide.
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.
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.
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'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.
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.
There is no stock to order for Chile yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
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.
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.
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
The market guide for Chile covers Chuquicamata / Calama, Escondida, Salar de Atacama, Collahuasi, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
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.
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.
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 for Chile and 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.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.