Saudi Arabia: background
Ras Tanura Refinery was established in 1939 and is the largest refinery in Saudi Arabia, run by Saudi Aramco.
Saudi Arabia · IECEx
IECEx Cell Phone Distributor in Saudi Arabia
The IS-04Z1 is a Zone 1 and Zone 21 handset for people who work inside classified areas in the Kingdom: field operators, maintenance and inspection engineers, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. The Communications, Space and Technology Commission issues type approval certificates valid for two years, with no local representative required; Saudi Standards, Metrology and Quality Organization safety certification needs a local representative. Distribution partners for Saudi Arabia 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
WhereSaudi Arabia
Short answer. Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia
| 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 | Saudi Arabia: Ghawar, Shaybah, Khurais | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Saudi Arabia
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 Saudi Arabia. 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 · Saudi Arabia
Where this applies in Saudi Arabia
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Saudi Arabia market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Saudi Aramco
- Upstream, gas processing, refining and export across the Kingdom
- SABIC
- Olefins, polymers and fertiliser production at Jubail and Yanbu
- SATORP
- Aramco and TotalEnergies refinery and petrochemical complex, Jubail
- YASREF
- Aramco and Sinopec full-conversion refinery at Yanbu
- Petro Rabigh
- Integrated refining and petrochemicals on the Red Sea coast
- Sadara Chemical
- Mixed-feed cracker and specialty chemicals at Jubail
Industrial areas and sites
- Abqaiq
- Crude stabilisation and processing, Eastern Province
- Ras Tanura
- Refinery, tank farm and crude export terminal
- Ghawar
- Onshore field with continuous well and flowline work
- Shaybah
- Remote field and NGL plant in the Empty Quarter
- Khurais
- Central processing facility and associated gas handling
- Fadhili
- Gas plant east of Jubail, expanding under EPC award
Field notes · Saudi Arabia
More about Saudi Arabia that matters for portable equipment
Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
Jubail has the world's largest independent water and power project, producing about 2,744 megawatts of electricity and 800,000 cubic metres of water daily.
Saudi Arabia: infrastructure
The Ju'aymah Gas Plant at Ras Tanura is recognised as the world's largest natural gas liquids fractionation plant.
Saudi Arabia: industry on the ground
Jubail Industrial City was designated in 1975 and is home to SABIC, while Jubail has a population of about 475,000 as of 2022.
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 Saudi Arabia. IECEx is the international reference that the large joint-venture sites at Jubail and Yanbu, including SATORP and YASREF, and their visiting contractors are likely to know. A certificate of conformity and its schedule of conditions would give those teams a common document to read. For the IS-04Z1 this certification is in progress and not yet issued.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Saudi Arabia
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Saudi Arabia. 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 Saudi Arabia.
- 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 · Saudi Arabia
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an IECEx cell phone in Saudi Arabia 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 IECEx cell phone in Saudi Arabia 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 Saudi Arabia does this cover?
The market guide for Saudi Arabia covers Abqaiq, Ras Tanura, Ghawar, Shaybah, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Saudi Arabia?
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 Saudi Arabia.
Who sets site equipment rules?
Saudi Aramco, SABIC and other large operators set their own supplier and equipment standards within national regulation, and the Royal Commission manages Jubail and Yanbu. Ask the end user for its approved-vendor requirements before shipping any device.
Where are Saudi Arabia's main industrial hazardous-area clusters?
Jubail and Ras Tanura on the Gulf coast, Yanbu on the Red Sea, and many Saudi Aramco fields and plants inland. Jubail and Yanbu are managed by the Royal Commission.
How would a handset last a shift at a remote Saudi field site?
The 4,000 mAh battery is specified for a full shift, because recharging inside a classified area is not possible and stores can be far away. Actual runtime depends on camera, torch and GNSS use, so test it on a real round during an evaluation.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for Saudi Arabia, other places in Saudi Arabia, and the pages behind them.
Rugged Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Distributor in Saudi ArabiaSame place, different guide
Saudi Arabia market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for Saudi ArabiaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Saudi Arabia
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Saudi Arabia
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · Saudi Arabia
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Saudi Arabia?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.