Oman: geography and layout
Duqm, about 550 km from Muscat, hosts a Special Economic Zone with a refinery on 900 hectares and a port, and Duqm Airport opened in 2014.
Oman · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Cell Phone Distributor in Oman
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the field operators, technicians, inspection engineers and HSE teams who work inside Oman’s classified areas. In February 2026 the TRA launched a Self-Declaration of Conformity service for importers, so the approval route for some products is changing. Distribution partners for Oman are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch 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 topicEx-proof
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereOman
Short answer. Oman 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 · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof cell phone for Oman
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ex marking | Group, category, protection concept, gas group, temperature class | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 (target) |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC matched to the area drawing | IIC (target) |
| Temperature class | T-class below the ignition temperature of the gas | T4, 135 °C (target) |
| Where it applies | Oman: Marmul, Qarn Alam, Nimr | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Oman
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 Oman. 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 · Oman
Where an Ex phone is used in Oman
Operators and classified areas drawn from the SAMS Oman market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Petroleum Development Oman
- The dominant operator, with around 130 producing fields
- OQ
- Sohar refining and aromatics, Salalah LPG and the chemicals business
- OQ8
- The Duqm refinery joint venture with Kuwait Petroleum International
- Oman LNG
- Three liquefaction trains at Qalhat near Sur
- Occidental Oman
- Mukhaizna in the south and Blocks 9 and 62 in the north
- Daleel Petroleum
- Block 5 near Fahud, a Petrogas and CNPC joint venture
Industrial areas and sites
- Fahud
- Northern oil hub and a long standing PDO operational base
- Yibal
- One of the oldest and largest fields in the interior
- Marmul
- Southern heavy oil with polymer enhanced recovery
- Qarn Alam
- Thermal recovery with large scale steam generation
- Nimr
- Southern production with very large produced water handling
- Harweel
- Sour gas and miscible gas injection in the deep south
Field notes · Oman
More about Oman that matters for portable equipment
Oman: industry on the ground
Petroleum Development Oman delivers most of the country's crude and gas, owned 60 percent by the government, 34 percent by Shell, 4 percent by TotalEnergies and 2 percent by Partex.
Oman: climate and equipment wear
Muscat has a hot arid climate with about 10 centimetres of rain a year, falling mostly from December to April, so heat rather than rain is the main stress.
Oman: rules and approvals
Oman's Telecommunications Regulatory Authority type approval is valid for four years, previously it had no expiry, and a local representative and compliance mark are required.
The term · Ex-proof
What “Ex-proof” means for a smartphone
“Ex-proof” is shorthand for equipment carrying an explosion-protection marking (the Ex mark) that matches the area it enters. The marking states the protection concept, gas or dust group and temperature class, and it must be backed by a certificate issued by a recognised body, so a phone described as Ex-proof should come with a certificate number you can check.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to carry the marking II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. That is a target: certification is in progress, no certificate has been issued, and SAMS will publish the certificate numbers when they exist.
In Oman. A marking check in Oman starts with II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 against the operator's classification. Summer in the interior sits well above 45 degrees, so the temperature class on the certificate is the figure a technical safety engineer checks. Dust and sand add Zone 21 questions at thermal plants and industrial estates.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Oman
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Oman yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service 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 Oman.
- 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 · Oman
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof cell phone in Oman today?
No. Nothing can be bought or taken into a classified area today: certification is in progress and launch is planned for Q4 2026. What is available now is the datasheet, the written certification schedule and evaluation units for safe-area use.
What does an Ex-proof cell phone in Oman 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.
What Ex marking will the IS-04Z1 carry?
The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4. It becomes a marking only when the certificate is issued; until then it is a design target.
Which sites in Oman does this cover?
The market guide for Oman covers Fahud, Yibal, Marmul, Qarn Alam, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Oman?
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 Oman.
Do 3G phones still work in Oman?
No. Oman announced in July 2025 that it had completed the shutdown of 3G networks, upgrading to 4G and 5G. Choose devices with LTE support.
What approval do phones need in Oman?
The TRA issues type approval certificates, now valid for four years, with a local representative and a compliance mark required. A new self-declaration route for importers started in 2026, so confirm the current route for each model.
How does the Dhofar khareef affect equipment?
From June to September the monsoon leaves Salalah in persistent damp and fog, and Sohar and Sur are humid and salt laden all year. A rugged build and IP68 sealing are aimed at that, but IP68 is not explosion protection. Check the certified ambient range once published.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Related guides for Oman and for Oman.
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in OmanSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in OmanSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone in OmanSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in OmanSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in OmanSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in OmanSame place, different guide
Oman market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for OmanEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Oman
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Oman
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Oman
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Oman?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.