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 Smartphone 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. A UKEX smartphone distributor in United Kingdom would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
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
DeviceSmartphone
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.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · UKEX
Checklist: UKEX smartphone 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
A distributor for United Kingdom 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 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 smartphone 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 smartphone in United Kingdom 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.
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
Related guides for United Kingdom and for United Kingdom.
IECEx Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Hazardous Area Mobile Phone in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Supplier in United KingdomSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof 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
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 · United Kingdom
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for United Kingdom?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.