Belgium: rules and approvals
Under ATEX, equipment in use before July 2003 can remain in use indefinitely provided a risk assessment shows it is safe, which matters when mixing older and newer devices at long-established plants.
Belgium · industrial
Industrial Cell Phone Distributor in Belgium
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android handset designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21, aimed at the chemical belt along the Scheldt, the terminals at Zeebrugge and the platforms in Hainaut. After Groningen gas supply fell, Belgium converted affected customers from low-calorific L-gas to high-calorific H-gas, a programme that began in 2018 and was completed by the end of summer 2024. Distribution partners for Belgium 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 topicindustrial
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereBelgium
Short answer. Belgium 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 · industrial
Checklist: industrial cell phone for Belgium
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Ingress protection | IP rating for dust and water | IP68 design |
| Fleet management | EMM and MDM support | Android 16 with EMM and MDM |
| Explosion protection | A separate certificate and marking | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Belgium: Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, Feluy | Classified by the site operator |
Product · Belgium
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 Belgium. 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 · Belgium
Where this applies in Belgium
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS Belgium market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- BASF Antwerpen
- Second largest BASF site in the world, on the right bank.
- TotalEnergies
- Antwerp refining and petrochemical platform, its largest integrated site in Europe.
- ExxonMobil
- Antwerp refinery, coker and lubricants production on the Scheldt.
- INEOS
- Project ONE ethane cracker under construction on the left bank.
- Covestro
- Polyurethane and polycarbonate production inside the Antwerp cluster.
- Borealis
- Polyolefin production at Kallo and Beringen.
Industrial areas and sites
- Antwerp right bank
- The Scheldelaan chemical belt, from BASF to the refineries.
- Antwerp left bank
- Kallo and Doel, with crackers, polymers and Project ONE.
- Zeebrugge
- LNG import terminal, jetties and the gas interconnection point.
- Ghent canal zone
- North Sea Port industry along the canal to Terneuzen.
- Feluy
- Hainaut petrochemical platform and polymer production.
- Jemeppe-sur-Sambre
- Chemical site in the Sambre valley near Namur.
Field notes · Belgium
More about Belgium that matters for portable equipment
Belgium: industry on the ground
Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, petroleum products, metals and motor vehicle assembly feature among Belgium's industrial base, and chemicals are also a leading export, which means many process plants with flammable solvents and gases.
Belgium: infrastructure
Fluxys is the main natural gas transmission operator, and gas imports came mainly from the Netherlands and Norway in 2021, so compressor and metering stations are part of the classified-area network.
Belgium: people and language
Dutch-speaking Flanders and French-speaking Wallonia have different industrial histories and languages, and Belgium has a multilingual, well-trained workforce, so Dutch and French documents are often requested.
The term · industrial
What “industrial” means for a smartphone
“Industrial” describes a phone built for plant conditions: sealed, drop-resistant and manageable at fleet scale through Android Enterprise. It does not by itself mean the phone may enter a classified area. Only a device with a valid explosion-protection certificate and marking may do that.
The IS-04Z1 is designed to be both an industrial Android phone (IP68, 4,000 mAh battery, 50 MP camera, Android 16 with EMM and MDM support) and an intrinsically safe one. Its explosion-protection certificates are in progress and have not been issued.
In Belgium. Contractor crews rotate between Flemish and Walloon sites, and Android 16 with EMM and MDM lets camera, location services and the application list be set centrally, which matters because ordinary phones are refused at the gate on Seveso sites. Dutch and French documentation and interface suit one shared pool. Charging stays outside the zone.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in Belgium
A distributor for Belgium would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
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 Belgium.
- 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 · Belgium
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an industrial cell phone in Belgium 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 industrial cell phone in Belgium 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.
Is the IS-04Z1 an industrial phone as well as an Ex phone?
Yes by design: IP68 sealing, a 4,000 mAh battery, a 50 MP camera and Android 16 with EMM and MDM support. The explosion-protection certificates are separate and still in progress.
Which sites in Belgium does this cover?
The market guide for Belgium covers Antwerp right bank, Antwerp left bank, Zeebrugge, Ghent canal zone, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for Belgium?
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 Belgium.
Can I use older Ex equipment alongside new devices in Belgium?
ATEX allows equipment in use before July 2003 to remain in service if a risk assessment shows it is safe. New purchases need to meet the current Directive. Keep the operator's risk assessment on file and ask whether it has additional internal rules for handheld devices.
Where in Belgium is chemical hazardous-area work concentrated?
The Antwerp port area and Flanders are the best-known concentration, with further industry along the Sillon industriel through Liège and Charleroi. Details of individual plants and zones are held by each operator, so request their layout drawings when planning.
Which language must the instructions be in?
Belgian rules expect information that reaches a worker to be in the language of the region where the work happens: Dutch in Flanders, French in Wallonia, and both in Brussels. The manual, safe-use instructions and declaration of conformity are planned in Dutch and French. Certification is still in progress. Check the wording with your site safety adviser.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on Belgium, and on other places in Belgium.
Rugged Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone Distributor in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in BelgiumSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in BelgiumSame place, different guide
Belgium market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for BelgiumEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · Belgium
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for Belgium
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Enquiry · Belgium
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for Belgium?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.