United Kingdom: rules and approvals
The UK government has legislated to keep recognising CE marking alongside UKCA for a range of product regulations, so check whether the route applies to your product category.
United Kingdom · UKEX
UKEX Cell Phone Distributor in United Kingdom
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 work, from a North Sea deck to a gas governor kiosk at the end of a street. Around 39 billion barrels of oil equivalent have been extracted from the UK Continental Shelf over four decades, and Brent crude from the British North Sea remains a major international price benchmark. Distribution partners for United Kingdom 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 topicUKEX
DeviceCell Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereUnited Kingdom
Short answer. United Kingdom 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.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · UKEX
Checklist: UKEX cell phone for United Kingdom
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| UK marking | UKCA mark and a UK approved body | In progress; not issued |
| Regulations | UKEX 2016 regulations | The applicable route in Great Britain |
| EU certificate | Does not cover Great Britain on its own | Separate UK route |
| Where it applies | United Kingdom: Sullom Voe, Grangemouth, Fawley | Classified by the site operator |
Product · United Kingdom
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 United Kingdom. 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 · United Kingdom
Where this applies in United Kingdom
The classified areas, operators and sites below are the ones covered in the SAMS United Kingdom market guide.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- Harbour Energy
- One of the largest producers on the UK continental shelf.
- Adura
- Shell and Equinor joint venture with interests in Mariner, Clair, Shearwater and Buzzard (operators vary by field).
- Ithaca Energy
- Operator and partner across central and northern North Sea hubs.
- EnQuest
- Operates Magnus and the Sullom Voe terminal.
- Serica Energy
- Operates the Bruce, Keith and Rhum fields.
- Wood
- Aberdeen engineering, maintenance and shutdown contractor.
Industrial areas and sites
- Aberdeen
- Supply base, heliports and the offshore contractor market.
- St Fergus
- Reception terminal for northern North Sea gas pipelines.
- Sullom Voe
- Shetland oil and gas terminal with export jetties.
- Grangemouth
- INEOS petrochemical complex and the fuels import terminal.
- Fawley
- ExxonMobil refinery and petrochemicals on Southampton Water.
- Stanlow
- Refinery and the Mersey chemical corridor.
Field notes · United Kingdom
More about United Kingdom that matters for portable equipment
United Kingdom: industry on the ground
UK crude oil and condensate production had fallen to about 630,000 barrels a day by 2024, so much of the current work is maintenance, life extension and decommissioning of mature installations.
United Kingdom: industry on the ground
About 98 per cent of UK oil and gas production comes from offshore fields, and the services industry in Aberdeen has been a leader in offshore technology.
United Kingdom: rules and approvals
The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 require employers to identify and classify areas where explosive atmospheres may occur and to avoid ignition sources from unprotected equipment in them.
The term · UKEX
What “UKEX” means for a smartphone
In Great Britain, equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres falls under the Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016 (UKEX), with UKCA marking and UK approved bodies. Northern Ireland continues to follow the EU regime. A device with an EU-type examination certificate still needs the UK route completed separately.
UKEX is one of the four routes in the IS-04Z1 certification programme. It is in progress and no UK certificate has been issued.
In United Kingdom. In the UK the regime is UKEX, a separate route from EU ATEX, and a reviewer at an installation or terminal would ask which approval the handset carries for the area. For the IS-04Z1 UKEX certification is in progress and no certificate exists, so a UK buyer can only review the schedule and datasheet today, with the duty holder deciding acceptance.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in United Kingdom
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for United Kingdom. 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 United Kingdom.
- 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 · United Kingdom
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a UKEX cell phone in United Kingdom 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 a UKEX cell phone in United Kingdom cost?
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
Will the IS-04Z1 carry the UKEX route?
UKEX is part of the certification programme and is in progress. No UK certificate has been issued.
Which sites in United Kingdom does this cover?
The market guide for United Kingdom covers Aberdeen, St Fergus, Sullom Voe, Grangemouth, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for United Kingdom?
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 United Kingdom.
What does DSEAR mean for choosing a phone for UK plants?
DSEAR places duties on employers to classify areas where explosive atmospheres may occur and to avoid ignition sources from unprotected equipment. A site will therefore expect devices used in classified areas to be suitable for the zone, gas group and temperature class stated in its area classification records.
Is CE-marked ATEX equipment accepted in Great Britain?
Yes. Since 1 October 2024 CE marking has been recognised in Great Britain without an end date, so an ATEX-certified product can be sold there without UKCA, although a UKCA route with a UK approved body also exists. Northern Ireland still requires CE. Check the current rules before shipping.
How does the IS-04Z1 cope with patchy coverage on a UK platform or rural site?
It combines 4G LTE, Wi-Fi and four-constellation GNSS to hold a position and a connection where one network is not enough. Actual coverage depends on the site, so test the unit on your own route before relying on it.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on United Kingdom, and on other places in United Kingdom.
Rugged Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
United Kingdom market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for United KingdomEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · United Kingdom
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for United Kingdom
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 · United Kingdom
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for United Kingdom?
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.