Before you start

Unlocked handset
Passport or ID
New Zealand address and bank account, for postpaid plans

Step-by-step

1
Buy a prepaid SIM on arrival
Available at Auckland Airport, supermarkets, and One NZ, Spark and 2degrees stores. Prepaid bundles are the sensible starting point.
In personWho: You
2
Consider Skinny for value
Skinny runs on Spark's network at lower prices without a contract — the same coverage for less, which is the standard local recommendation.
OnlineWho: You
3
Check coverage against where you actually go
The networks diverge outside the main centres. If you plan to tramp, surf or drive the country, compare coverage maps for those regions rather than for Auckland, where all three are fine.
OnlineWho: You
4
Move to postpaid once you have an address
Contracts need a New Zealand address and bank account, and typically a credit check.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport or ID
New Zealand address and bank account, for postpaid

Things most newcomers don’t know

Choose your network for where you'll travel, not where you'll live.

All three are strong across Auckland, so the Auckland comparison tells you nothing. Coverage on the West Coast, in the Ureweras and on the tramping tracks differs materially, and that is where a dead phone actually matters. New Zealand's outdoors are closer and wilder than most arrivals expect.

Source: community-reported, corroborated by operator coverage maps

Skinny is the same network as Spark for less money.

It is Spark's own low-cost brand running on Spark infrastructure. You give up some retail support and get identical coverage, which for most newcomers is the right trade.

Source: community-reported, widely corroborated

111 works from any phone, with or without a SIM.

Emergency calls connect regardless of network or credit, and New Zealand also supports 111 TXT for people unable to speak. Worth knowing in a country where you will spend time well outside town.

Source: New Zealand emergency services

Common mistakes to avoid

Comparing networks on Auckland coverage, which is uniformly good and tells you nothing.
Paying premium-network prices for coverage a reseller provides identically.
Signing a long contract before you have a permanent address.
Assuming rural coverage resembles what you're used to — it often does not.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.