What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com
What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand

© NZPocketGuide.com

Select the Best Phone Network for Your Trip to New Zealand

If you’re living in the 21st century, then you will need to get yourself a phone in New Zealand, should it be to connect with people along the way, plan and book your activities and accommodation, or look for a job to stay longer in the world’s most epic country. Here, we’ll look at the best phone networks in New Zealand.

Because New Zealand has a lot of cellphone network providers all with different and ever-changing offers, this guide focuses on a basic comparison and gives a general idea of pricing. We will go through three common scenarios based on common traveller cellphone uses to give you a general idea of the options that will be available to you when landing in New Zealand. Each scenario will have a price range by companies so you know what to budget for.

Make sure that you are familiar with the different cellphone carriers by reading our alternative Cellphone Networks in New Zealand guide. And have you checked Will Your Phone Work in New Zealand?

Who are the Phone Network Providers in New Zealand?

The main phone providers in New Zealand are Spark, 2Degrees and One NZ (formerly Vodafone), while Skinny and Warehouse Mobile are examples of two providers that use the network of one of the main New Zealand phone carriers. We compare prices of all of the phone networks and their SIM cards in the guide below.

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com

The Best New Zealand Pay-As-You-Go Phone Plans

When you do not want to deal with bundles and/or you’re not planning on using your phone all that much, this is your most basic option. Going “pay-as-you-go” means that you will pay for each minute, text and Mb of data you use.

New Zealand Mobile Standard Rates Comparison

The standard rates (pay-as-you-go) for the most popular phone networks are:

  1. Skinny: 40¢ per Mb / 40¢ per min / 20¢ per text
  2. 2Degrees: 50¢ per Mb / 49¢ per min / 20¢ per text
  3. One NZ: 50¢ per Mb / 49¢ per min / 20¢ per text
  4. Spark: 59¢ per Mb / 89¢ per min / 20¢ per text
  5. Warehouse Mobile: casual Mb rates not available / 16¢ per min / 16¢ per text

Note that minutes and text prices are for calls and texts to New Zealand and, in some cases, Australian numbers. All prices are in New Zealand Dollars.

New Zealand Prepaid Combos

Most “pay-as-you-go” options also come with the option to buy bundles of minutes, texts and data that will last between two weeks and a month. This can be a great option if you are planning to make a lot of phone calls for a month during a job search for instance.

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com

The Best Phone Plans for Data in New Zealand

This option focuses on data, either to stay in touch with home using WhatsApp, Facebook or FaceTime or because you cannot get enough of our great content to plan your trip on the go. Keep in mind that there are no “unlimited data” plans in New Zealand and that the average traveller only uses about 1.5 Gb of data per month. It is quite easy to find WiFi in New Zealand both at accommodations and on the go.

New Zealand Data Phone Plan Comparison

For this specific example, we have chosen a minimum of 60 mins, unlimited texts and 2 Gb of data.

  1. Warehouse Mobile: 3 Gb / Unlimited calls / Unlimited texts / Price: $25/month
  2. 2Degrees: 3 Gb / 300 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $30/month
  3. Skinny: 2.5 Gb / 300 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $27/month
  4. One NZ: 2 Gb / 100 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $23/month
  5. Spark: 2 Gb / 300 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $30/month

Note that the minutes and text prices above are for calls and texts to New Zealand (and sometimes Australian) numbers, with the exception of Warehouse Mobile where minutes include calls to 14 international destinations. All prices are in New Zealand Dollars.

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com

The Best Phone Plans for Calls in New Zealand

For booking your next tour or accommodation or, if you’re on a working holiday, finding a job, you will likely need to make a few phone calls.

New Zealand Minutes Phone Plan Comparison

For this specific example, we have chosen offers for a minimum of 200 mins, unlimited texts and 1.25 Gb of data.

  1. Warehouse Mobile: 1.25 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $15/month
  2. Skinny: 1.5 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $17/month
  3. 2Degrees: 1.5 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $19/month
  4. One NZ: 1.25 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $19/month
  5. Spark: 1.25 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $20/month

Note that the minutes and text prices above are for calls and texts to New Zealand (and some for Australian) numbers, with the exception of Warehouse Mobile where minutes include calls to 14 international destinations. All prices are in New Zealand Dollars.

pexels© Pexels

The Cheapest Phone Plans in New Zealand

A great option for the frugal; choose this if you are looking to get more bang for a few bucks. Being able to call from time to time and check the internet, if needed, are all included in this comparison. Most people with a basic phone (as opposed to a smartphone) will choose this option as most basic phones do not have much internet connectivity.

New Zealand Cheapest Phone Plan Comparison

For this specific example, we have chosen a minimum of 50 mins, 50 texts and 250 Mb of data.

  1. Warehouse Mobile: 300 Mb / 100 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $9/month
  2. Skinny: 250 Mb / 100 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $9/month
  3. 2Degrees: 250 Mb / 100 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $10/month
  4. One NZ: 250 Mb / 100 mins / 100 texts / Price: $13/month
  5. Spark: 1.25 Gb / 200 mins / Unlimited texts / Price: $20/month

Note that the minutes and text prices above are for calls and texts to New Zealand (and sometimes Australian) numbers, with the exception of Warehouse Mobile where minutes include calls to 14 international destinations.

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© Unsplash

The Best Phone Plans in New Zealand for Calling Overseas

Calling overseas is not included in most prepay plans in New Zealand (with the exception of some countries with Warehouse Mobile). As most of us choose to use services like Whatsapp, Skype, FaceTime, Viber or Facebook to call overseas. Calling using any of these apps will use your data rather than your minutes.

New Zealand Phone Networks International Calls Comparison

However, calling overseas via a traditional phone call can often work out cheaper than using data with the right network provider. Every phone carrier has a different “Overseas” minute add-on. For instance, Skinny offers 300 minutes to 20 selected countries for NZ$10 and Spark offers 200 minutes + 100 texts to 20 selected countries for $10.

Warehouse Mobile includes calling minutes for more than 14 international destinations in their packs and combos, including NZ, Australia, China, England, Scotland, Wales, the US (excluding Hawaii and Alaska), India, Canada, Germany, Israel, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea.

Should You Use Calling Cards to Call International Phone Numbers?

Calling cards are your final option for calling overseas. These can be purchased in convenience stores. They offer cheap calling rates to selected countries. This will still use your minutes on top of an extra small fee.

Calling Australian Phone Numbers from New Zealand

Calling Australia? Good news, most New Zealand networks include Australia in their “NZ minutes”!

What are the Best Phone Networks & SIM Cards in New Zealand© NZPocketGuide.com

The Best Phone Networks in New Zealand for Coverage

In New Zealand, the three main mobile network providers, Spark, One NZ and 2Degrees, offer varying levels of network coverage and quality, including 5G, 4G, and 3G services. Note that Skinny Mobile uses the Spark network and Warehouse Mobile uses 2Degrees’. Here’s a comparison of each of the main networks’ coverage:

Coverage

  • Spark: Offers good coverage in most urban and populated areas, reaching “98% of New Zealanders”. Significant areas of limited coverage in more remote regions like Coromandel and parts of the west coast. Spark has announced it will shut down its 3G network in late 2025 to support its 5G rollout.
  • One NZ: Covers “99% of the New Zealand population”. It has 5G live in parts of cities and towns across NZ and plans to have 4G or 5G everywhere it currently has 3G by late 2024. One NZ has collaborated with SpaceX to provide Starlink satellite to mobile service for greater coverage, starting with a text service by the end of 2024 and data and voice to follow in 2025.
  • 2Degrees: Offers excellent coverage in many regions, claiming “mobile coverage in 98.5% of the places Kiwis live and work” including urban areas and most rural areas. It has limited 5G coverage in central areas like Auckland and Wellington. 2Degrees is also trialling the use of satellite connectivity with Lynk to provide services in areas where cellular networks do not reach.

Note that these statements are somewhat accurate but somewhat misleading, as New Zealand’s population is extremely concentrated over a few urbanised areas such as Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington. Therefore, with every network you will still be left with no coverage over vast swathes of remote areas, national parks and road sections popular with most tourists.

Call Quality and Internet Speed

  • Spark: Provides HD+ Ultra High Definition Voice Calls and is planning to enhance its 5G coverage. Spark leads in 4G coverage experience in New Zealand.
  • One NZ: Known for its reliable coverage, One NZ delivers a great experience with data speed, connectivity and voice quality with VoLTE (Voice over LTE).
  • 2Degrees: Scores the highest in Video Experience and Games Experience for both all users and 5G users, indicating strong performance in both download and upload speeds, as well as reliability in app-based voice calls.

Regional Coverage Examples (North Island)

  • Northland: All three networks provide good to excellent coverage, with some black spots in remote areas. 5G coverage is limited and varies by provider.
  • Auckland: Excellent coverage from all three networks, with 5G extensively available, particularly in central areas and major suburbs.
  • Waikato: Good coverage in urban areas with fair coverage in rural areas. 5G coverage is available but varies by location and provider.
  • Bay of Plenty: Good coverage along the coast and major areas, with 5G coverage in parts of Tauranga and Rotorua.

Regional Coverage Examples (South Island)

  • Canterbury: One NZ and Spark offer extensive coverage in the area, particularly in urban areas and with 5G rolled out in Christchurch. There are some limitations in remote areas, especially with 2Degrees.
  • Otago: All networks have good coverage in urban areas and along the coast, with strong coverage, particularly in Queenstown and Dunedin. There are limitations in more remote or mountainous regions.
  • Southland: Coverage is good in populated areas, while One NZ’s coverage extends to major areas, while Spark offers the most comprehensive coverage and is actively rolling out 5G services.

Coverage and Quality Summary

  • Spark is a solid choice for 4G coverage and is expanding its 5G network.
  • One NZ offers widespread 4G coverage and innovative solutions for remote areas through its collaboration with SpaceX.
  • 2Degrees excels in video and gaming experience, indicating strong internet speed and reliability.

In our experience, our team having tried all of New Zealand’s phone networks while travelling the country, Spark has offered the most comprehensive coverage for travellers visiting both urban and rural areas.

Pexels© Pexels

Cellphone Network Glossary

In case you got confused, here are a few terms used in this New Zealand phone network comparison.

Cellphone Plan Terminology

Prepay: This is a type of phone plan that has no contract. You pay as much or as little in advance towards your phone bill. For more info on Prepay, read the 5 Reasons to Choose a Prepay Plan.

Plan: It is a general term for the offer that you will be using to use your phone. It is often monthly but can also be weekly.

Pay as you go: Paying per text, call and data usage at a flat rate. It is the opposite of a “plan”.

Combo: It is a type of Prepay Plan. Each cellphone carrier offers multiple combos of their prepay offer to suit different needs. Combos are also known as “Bundles”, “Value Packs” or “Packs”.

Add-On: An Add-On is an extra small bundle added to a Combo to complement it. Let’s say that you are running out of data before the end of a month, you can get an Add-On of data to keep surfing our awesome website.

Mins, Texts and Data

Mb: Mb stands for Megabytes, this is the unit of measure for any data charge on a plan. If a plan includes 1 Gb of data, this is equivalent to 1000 Mb.

Mins: Mins stands for “Minutes”. This is the unit of measure for any call charge on a plan. If a plan includes 1 hour, this is equivalent to 60 minutes. Note that most mins mentioned above are minutes spent calling New Zealand numbers, not overseas.

Texts: These are text messages sent from one phone to the other. Be aware that picture texts are called MMS and do not fit in this category.

When are You Charged?

In New Zealand, you will only be charged a minute or a text when you are calling or texting somebody. You are not charged when receiving a phone call or a text.

More About the Best Phone Networks and SIM Cards in New Zealand

That’s it for our comparison of the best phone networks and SIM cards in New Zealand. For more information on what phone network to use when travelling, take a look at these:

Finally, get all the advice you’ll need for a trip to Aotearoa in the 31 Tips for Travelling in New Zealand.

Author

Robin C.

This article was reviewed and published by Robin, the co-founder of NZ Pocket Guide. He has lived, worked and travelled across 16 different countries before calling New Zealand home. He has now spent over a decade in the New Zealand tourism industry, clocking in more than 600 activities across the country. He is passionate about sharing those experiences and advice on NZ Pocket Guide and its YouTube channel. Robin is also the co-founder of several other South Pacific travel guides.

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