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.
China · IECEx
IECEx Cell Phone Distributor 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. 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. Distribution partners for China 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 topicIECEx
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereChina
Short answer. China 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. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · IECEx
Checklist: IECEx cell phone for China
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| Where it applies | China: Daqing, Shengli oilfield, Zhoushan / Ningbo | 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
Hazardous-area industry in China
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS China market guide covers.
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
Explosion-protected electrical products in China need CCC certification, mandatory since 1 October 2020, to the GB/T 3836 series, which is China's adoption of IEC 60079.
China: rules and approvals
ATEX certificates and Eurasian certificates are not accepted in China, and the applicant for CCC may be a foreign company.
China: rules and approvals
CNCA designated six certification bodies and 13 testing laboratories for Ex products, and an IECEx test report may serve as test evidence but does not replace the CCC certificate.
The term · IECEx
What “IECEx” means for a smartphone
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In China. IECEx is the technical basis NEPSI works from, which makes it the common reference between Chinese state operators such as Sinopec, PetroChina, CNOOC and China Energy Investment and the international contractors on petrochemical projects. The reviewer reads the certificate of conformity and the schedule of conditions. None of the three approvals is finished.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in China
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for China. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device 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 China.
- 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 · China
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx cell 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 IECEx cell 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.
Does the IS-04Z1 hold an IECEx certificate?
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
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.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for China?
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 China.
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 Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof 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?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.