Skinny Speed Test - Check Fibre Speed
Test your Skinny internet speed in New Zealand
www.skinny.co.nzSkinny is a budget-friendly New Zealand broadband and mobile provider owned by Spark New Zealand. Running on the Spark network, Skinny offers unlimited fibre from NZD 90 per month with no contracts required. The same Chorus fibre infrastructure delivers identical speeds at lower prices than premium providers. Test your Skinny connection to measure download, upload, and latency performance.
About Skinny
Skinny was launched in January 2012 by Telecom New Zealand (now Spark) as a prepaid mobile brand targeting value-conscious customers. The company expanded into broadband services and operates as a separate division of Spark New Zealand Trading Limited.
Headquartered in Auckland, Skinny runs on the Spark network infrastructure, delivering the same fibre speeds and coverage at lower monthly prices. Skinny has won multiple awards for its broadband and mobile services in New Zealand.
Skinny Plans and Services
Skinny offers several internet plans across different technologies and price points.
Skinny fibre broadband starts at NZD 90 per month for Unlimited Fibre 300 with 300/100 Mbps speeds. Customers who bring their own modem save NZD 5 for the first 12 months. Skinny mobile customers save an additional NZD 10 per month on broadband.
The Fibre Max plan delivers 900/500 Mbps at NZD 100. All plans include unlimited data with no contract required. From August 2025, Skinny raised fibre prices by NZD 5 per month. Skinny delivers the same Chorus fibre network quality as its parent Spark.
Skinny Internet Plans
| Plan | Speed | Price | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unlimited Fibre 300 fiber | 300 Mbps | NZD 90/month |
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| Unlimited Fibre 300 BYO fiber | 300 Mbps | NZD 85/month |
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| Unlimited Fibre Max fiber | 900 Mbps | NZD 100/month |
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| Mobile Combo Bundle fiber | Up to 100 Mbps | NZD 80/month |
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Prices and availability may vary by location. Contact Skinny for current offers.
Skinny Coverage by Region
Skinny performance varies by location. Coverage density, local infrastructure, and network congestion affect speeds in each market.
Auckland
Skinny operates under Spark NZ in Auckland headquarters
Wellington
Same fibre performance as Spark in Wellington
Christchurch
Modern fibre infrastructure rebuilt after earthquakes
Regional centers (Hamilton, Tauranga, Dunedin)
Same Chorus fibre as Spark for identical network performance
Is Skinny Right for You?
Every provider has trade-offs. Here is how Skinny performs based on real-world usage and customer feedback.
Strengths
- Same Spark network quality at NZD 10-26 lower monthly prices
- No contract required on all broadband plans
- BYO modem saves NZD 5 per month for the first 12 months
- NZD 10 discount when bundling with Skinny mobile plan
- Effective price as low as NZD 75 per month with both discounts
- Multiple award winner including Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers
- Consumer NZ People's Choice award winner 2016-2022
Weaknesses
- Maximum speed limited to 900 Mbps with no Hyperfibre options
- No Netflix or streaming services included unlike Spark Plus plans
- Prices increased by NZD 5 per month from August 2025
- No premium modem included, basic hardware unless BYO
- Customer support less extensive than parent Spark brand
Best For
- Budget-conscious users wanting Spark network quality at lower prices
- Skinny mobile customers saving NZD 10 per month on broadband
- Users with their own modem looking to save on equipment
- Price-sensitive families needing reliable unlimited fibre
- Customers who prefer no-contract flexibility
- Young users and flatmates sharing broadband costs
Not Ideal For
- Power users wanting Hyperfibre speeds above 900 Mbps
- Customers wanting Netflix bundled with their broadband
- Users needing premium in-person support
- Households wanting the latest modem hardware included
How Skinny Compares
Side-by-side comparison of Skinny against major competitors in New Zealand.
| Competitor | Speed | Price | Coverage | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spark | Both offer 300 Mbps and 900 Mbps on the same Chorus fibre. Spark also has Hyperfibre up to 8 Gbps. | Skinny 300 Mbps costs NZD 90. Spark Essential Fibre costs NZD 101. Skinny saves NZD 11 per month. | Identical Chorus fibre coverage. Skinny uses the same Spark network infrastructure. | Choose Skinny for lower prices on the same network. Choose Spark for Netflix bundles and Hyperfibre speeds. |
| 2degrees | Both offer 300 Mbps and 900 Mbps on Chorus fibre. 2degrees also has Hyperfibre up to 4 Gbps. | Skinny 300 Mbps costs NZD 90. 2degrees 300 Mbps costs NZD 79 on a 12-month contract. Skinny is NZD 11 more. | Both use Chorus fibre. 2degrees adds wireless broadband. Skinny adds mobile bundling discounts. | Choose Skinny for no-contract flexibility and mobile discounts. Choose 2degrees for the lowest fibre price. |
| NOW | Both offer up to 900 Mbps on Chorus fibre. Neither offers Hyperfibre speeds. | Skinny 300 Mbps costs NZD 90. NOW Unlimited 300 Mbps costs NZD 85. NOW is NZD 5 cheaper. | Both use Chorus fibre nationally. Skinny adds mobile bundling. NOW focuses on broadband only. | Choose Skinny for mobile bundle savings. Choose NOW for award-winning customer support. |
Troubleshooting Skinny Issues
Common Skinny connection problems and how to fix them.
Skinny fibre speeds are below the subscribed plan
Cause: Modem quality, Wi-Fi conditions, or device limitations can reduce actual speeds.
- Test with ethernet cable directly connected to the modem
- Restart the modem by unplugging for 30 seconds
- If using BYO modem, verify it supports your speed tier
- Reduce the number of active devices during testing
- Contact Skinny support if wired speeds stay below 80% of plan
BYO modem not connecting to Skinny broadband
Cause: Incorrect configuration or incompatible modem hardware can prevent connection.
- Check that your modem is compatible with Chorus fibre
- Verify VLAN and PPPoE settings match Skinny requirements
- Factory reset the modem and reconfigure from scratch
- Consider renting the Skinny modem for NZD 5 per month to isolate the issue
NZD 10 mobile bundle discount not appearing on broadband bill
Cause: The discount requires an active Skinny mobile plan linked to the same account.
- Verify your Skinny mobile plan is active and linked to broadband
- Check your latest invoice to see if the discount is applied
- Contact Skinny support to link mobile and broadband accounts
- Allow one billing cycle after linking for the discount to appear
Skinny History
Key milestones in Skinny development and network expansion.
Telecom New Zealand launches Skinny Mobile in January targeting the youth market
Parent company Telecom NZ rebrands to Spark on 8 August. Skinny continues as sub-brand.
Wins first Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers award for prepaid mobile
Expands into broadband services over the Chorus fibre network
Wins Canstar Blue broadband award for customer satisfaction
Earns Consumer NZ People's Choice award for seventh consecutive year
Raises fibre prices by NZD 5 per month from August. Serves 300,000+ mobile and broadband customers.
Test Your Skinny Speed
Run a free speed test to check if Skinny delivers the speeds you are paying for. Test during peak evening hours for the most realistic results. Compare your results against Skinny advertised speeds above.
Skinny Speed Test FAQ
Is Skinny broadband the same as Spark?
Skinny runs on the Spark broadband network, delivering the same Chorus fibre connection and speeds. The key difference is pricing and extras. Skinny offers lower monthly prices by excluding bundled services like Netflix and premium support. Spark includes Netflix on Plus plans, a Smart Modem, and comprehensive customer support at higher prices. Both deliver identical fibre speeds and reliability since they use the same underlying network infrastructure.
How fast is Skinny fibre broadband?
Skinny fibre delivers up to 300/100 Mbps on the standard plan and 900/500 Mbps on Fibre Max. Since Skinny uses the same Chorus fibre network as Spark, underlying speeds are identical. From June 2025, Chorus upgraded the standard tier from 300/100 to 500/100 Mbps. Actual speeds depend on your router quality, WiFi conditions, and number of connected devices. Connect via ethernet for maximum speed during testing.
How do I test my Skinny speed?
Use the speed test on this page to measure your Skinny fibre download speed, upload speed, and ping latency. For accurate results, connect directly to the modem or router using an ethernet cable. WiFi speeds are typically lower than wired connections. Close all background applications and pause downloads before testing. The test takes approximately 30 seconds. Compare your results with your plan speed of 300 Mbps or 900 Mbps.
How can I save money on Skinny broadband?
Skinny offers several ways to reduce your monthly broadband bill. Bring your own modem to save NZD 5 per month for the first 12 months. Adding a Skinny mobile plan saves NZD 10 per month on broadband. This means the effective price for Unlimited Fibre 300 can drop to NZD 75 per month with both discounts applied. Skinny requires no long-term contracts, so you can cancel anytime without penalties if you find a better deal.