United Kingdom: rules and approvals
Great Britain applies SI 2016 No. 1107, the UK version of the ATEX rules, so equipment for explosive atmospheres is assessed by UK approved bodies and carries UKCA marking and a body number.
United Kingdom · UKEX
UKEX Cell Phone Supplier 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. Buyers searching for a UKEX cell phone supplier for United Kingdom 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 topicUKEX
DeviceCell Phone
RouteSupply
WhereUnited Kingdom
Short answer. A UKEX cell phone for United Kingdom 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.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. 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: Fawley, Stanlow, Aberdeen | 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 an Ex phone is used in United Kingdom
Operators and classified areas drawn from 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: geography and layout
Historically most UK gas came from Morecambe Bay and the Southern North Sea off East Anglia and Lincolnshire, both now in decline, while oil comes mainly from the Central Graben of the North Sea.
United Kingdom: industry on the ground
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.
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.
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 · supply
Sourcing the IS-04Z1 for United Kingdom
There is no stock to order for United Kingdom yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch, certification is in progress, and supply will run through authorised distributors after the certificates are issued. Procurement teams can prepare now with the datasheet, the certification schedule and a safe-area evaluation.
- 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 · United Kingdom
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy a UKEX cell phone in United Kingdom 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 a UKEX cell phone in United Kingdom cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
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 will SAMS supply United Kingdom?
Through authorised distributors once certificates exist. Until then SAMS can send the datasheet and certification schedule and arrange safe-area evaluation units.
Do UK offshore installations have different rules for portable devices?
Offshore installations typically add their own permit-to-work, helicopter-transport and zone rules on top of UK law, and operators often keep lists of approved portable devices. Ask the duty holder or contractor for its approved-equipment procedure before sending devices offshore.
How does UKCA marking relate to ATEX for new equipment?
Equipment for Great Britain can be placed on the market under UKCA, using SI 2016 No. 1107 and a UK approved body, or under CE. Manufacturers usually keep both routes open if they sell in the EU too. Confirm the current labelling and importer details requirements with a UK approved body.
Can photographs from the handset support a permit or inspection record?
The 50 MP camera with PDAF is designed to give photographs sharp enough to act on, and GNSS can record where each was taken. Whether they are accepted as permit evidence is a matter for your duty holder and permit-to-work procedure.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on United Kingdom, and on other places in United Kingdom.
Industrial Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone 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
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
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.