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 · intrinsically safe
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier 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. Buyers searching for an intrinsically safe mobile phone supplier for China can take the datasheet and the certification schedule for the IS-04Z1 now; supply follows certification.
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 topicintrinsically safe
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteSupply
WhereChina
Short answer. An intrinsically safe mobile phone for China 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.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · intrinsically safe
Checklist: intrinsically safe mobile phone for China
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| Where it applies | China: Zhoushan / Ningbo, Maoming, Shanxi | 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
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.
China: background
The Daqing field in Heilongjiang, discovered in 1959 in the Songhua Jiang-Liao basin, has been the backbone of Chinese oil production for decades, and Shengli began producing in 1968.
The term · intrinsically safe
What “intrinsically safe” means for a smartphone
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In China. A coal-mining shift or a petrochemical-plant round at Maoming or Zhoushan covers real distance with no recharging point inside a classified area. An intrinsically safe handheld is designed for those rounds, with a 4,000 mAh cell specified for a full shift, so inspections are not interrupted by the walk to a charger.
The route · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for China
Nothing can be bought for China today: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, and SAMS will supply end users through authorised distributors once certificates exist. What a buyer can do now is take the specification, ask for the written certification schedule and arrange a safe-area evaluation, so that the right local channel contacts you at launch.
- 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 · China
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an intrinsically safe mobile phone in China 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 intrinsically safe mobile 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.
What does ‘intrinsically safe’ mean for the IS-04Z1?
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is in progress.
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 will SAMS supply China?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
What radio and network approvals does a smartphone need in China?
In addition to CCC where applicable, radio devices need SRRC approval and phones connecting to public networks need the MIIT network access licence. The NAL is described as compulsory, valid for three years, with local testing and a local representative. Confirm the current requirements with MIIT or an accredited body.
Do Ex phones need a CCC mark in China?
Products that fall within the explosion-protected electrical category of the CCC catalogue may not be sold, imported or used in business without a CCC certificate and mark, to the GB/T 3836 series. Check with a CNCA-designated body whether a given product falls within that catalogue scope.
Does NEPSI certification mean a Chinese operator will accept the phone?
No: Sinopec, PetroChina and the major coal producers each run their own equipment-approval and procurement process, so a device can be NEPSI-certified and still unlisted. NEPSI and SRRC are being pursued and are not finished. Confirm the listing route with the operator.
Related guides
Keep exploring
Other guides for China, other places in China, and the pages behind them.
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in ChinaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in ChinaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in ChinaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof 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
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 · China
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for China?
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.