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 · Ex-proof
Ex-Proof Cell Phone Supplier 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 sets out how an Ex-proof cell phone 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
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicEx-proof
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSupply
WhereChile
Short answer. An Ex-proof cell phone 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.
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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · Ex-proof
Checklist: Ex-proof cell phone for Chile
| 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 | Chile: Concón, Magallanes, Chuquicamata / Calama | 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 · 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 Chile. A marking check at a Chilean mine would separate the gas side from the dust side: Zone 21 for copper concentrate and lithium dust, Zone 1 for refinery or gas areas at Concón and Magallanes. The target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4, with the dust marking and ambient range read against site drawings.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for Chile
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.
- 01
Request the datasheet
The technical specification, marking target and conditions of use, sent by email.
- 02
Ask for the certification schedule
Which certificates are in progress, in what order, and what is still to be confirmed.
- 03
Evaluate in a safe area
Evaluation units can be used for connectivity, MDM enrolment and workflow testing outside classified areas.
- 04
Register for launch
Tell us the site, zone, gas group and quantity so the right authorised distributor can contact you.
Questions · Chile
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an Ex-proof cell phone in Chile 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 Ex-proof cell phone in Chile 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 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.
How will SAMS supply Chile?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
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
Related guides for Chile and for Chile.
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in ChileSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in ChileSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in ChileSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in ChileSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in ChileSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone 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
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Enquiry · Chile
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Chile?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.