Feedback on experience with Skinny from existing / past users esp regarding international text

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timmmay

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Topic # 198314 4-Jul-2016 14:09

Interested in feedback on Skinny from past or existing users. Any problems with international SMS or calls? Any problem with text from banks, from places using text as second factor authentication (Google, NameCheap, Facebook, AWS), etc? Any issues at all really, technical, coverage, or customer service.

Skinny charge $26 for 1GB data and sufficient calls, plus text to Australia. Spark charge me $39 and I pay per Australian text, though I get more calls that I don't use. I might even be able to go down to their $16 plan as I rarely go over 500MB of data and 30 minutes of calls per month. Saving $156 to $276 a year isn't much, but it's still a saving - why pay for something I don't need?

I always viewed Skinny as for students or such, and prepay as for people who couldn't get a post pay plan. Maybe it's their marketing.

Update: I don't care about free Wifi or Spotify.

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Reply # 1585645 4-Jul-2016 14:15

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Pretty happy with Skinny, Been on since 2012. The only real disadvantage is you can't go into a store to get help, and their call center isn't 24 hours.

You can do nearly everything yourself via the app/website whether that be buying a combo or even moving your account to a new SIM (something you have to call up Spark to to)

You don't get Spark's things like Free Wifi and Spotify.

timmmay

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Reply # 1585650 4-Jul-2016 14:23

Thanks Yab. I don't get spotify anyway, I'm on too low a plan, plus I don't like Spotify much. I used free WiFi a few years ago when I was on holiday, so it's not a deal breaker for me.

Looks like Spark actually owns Skinny.

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CapBBeard

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Reply # 1585669 4-Jul-2016 14:34

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I jumped over from Spark a couple of months ago and everything has been great so far.

I don't really send any international txts but I have received my SMS auth codes fine. I too was cautious about moving over but in the end felt like Spark's plans had stagnated a bit.. I wanted more data, I don't really care so much for heaps of minutes/texts.

Only thing I hit a snag with was the initial sign up - I tried to sign up using my Google account and it all got a bit messy. Recommend signing up online with your email address then using Google auth later on if you are looking to do that :)

Otherwise I'd definitely recommend.

I believe they are wholly owned by Spark, running on their network.

Cheers

Yabanize

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Reply # 1585672 4-Jul-2016 14:52

Yes they are owned by Spark Ventures, (Bigpipe, Lightbox, Skinny)

openmedia

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Reply # 1585752 4-Jul-2016 17:00

Been with Skinny for quite some time as it was a better deal than my old $39 month Spark plan.

Free skinny to skinny minutes are great and included OZ minutes wonderful.

International voice call rates are pretty sharp too.

My only pain point is some of the roaming deals aren't as good, and they don't cover everywhere I travel (in particular Macau)

Generally known online as OpenMedia, now working for Red Hat New Zealand as a Solution Architect for all things Linux, Virtual and of course Cloud. Still playing with MythTV and digital media on the side.

timmmay

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Reply # 1585755 4-Jul-2016 17:07

Thanks guys, keep it coming :) Not too bothered about roaming deals, I have an unlocked phone so I just buy a local SIM.

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kingjj

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Reply # 1585771 4-Jul-2016 17:44

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I've only been a Skinny customer for a few weeks but I can certainly praise their customer service. I have a specific issue with a certain device (per my thread) which has so far involved 4 different people from Skinny, 1 on the email support desk, 1 via phone and 2 via GZ; all have been fantastic to deal with. LivingSkinny referred my issue to their device team, one of the members has been on constant contact and has raised the issue with the vendor who is working on a resolution. Can't say I would expect that sort of service from the other Telco's from previous experience.

Haven't text so can't comment on that. Have made a few test calls but not enough to give any feedback on that either.

Yabanize

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Reply # 1585799 4-Jul-2016 18:49

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Also, all my google, facebook, microsoft texts come through

Handle9

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Reply # 1585848 4-Jul-2016 20:09

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My wife has been with them for a couple of years, give or take. She's got 1200 minutes and a couple of GB banked.

One tip is that you can change your plan up and down and retain your roll over data/minutes. It's handy for when you are short on data, go on a bigger plan, then change back to the $16 plan.

timmmay

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Reply # 1585859 4-Jul-2016 20:15

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Well I'm convinced! Just have to find a sim :)

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Yabanize

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Reply # 1585869 4-Jul-2016 20:38

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You can buy them online for $2, they are couriered. Or shops like The Warehouse, Noel Leeming, Warehouse Stationery, Countdown too I think

1eStar

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Reply # 1585972 4-Jul-2016 22:27

I love Skinny. Just be aware they don't support call forwarding.

KiwiSurfer

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Reply # 1586485 5-Jul-2016 15:20

Another vote for Skinny here. The only possible downside is they use the Spark network—I've noticed that in the places I go to Vodafone seem to have more coverage (especially 4G in Auckland) and data capacity (i.e. VF is generally faster and more reliable during peak times). But generally they have at least some coverage most places I go to so I don't grumble too much since I save so much money.

1eStar: I love Skinny. Just be aware they don't support call forwarding.

Neither do any of the other NZ carriers on their prepaid plans.

- James

josephhinvest

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Reply # 1586704 5-Jul-2016 20:47

Yep, happy customer here. Use TFA via text for Google, Apple, Twitter etc services.
Would like a plan with fewer minutes and more data! Have thousands of carryover mins but still buy data.

Cheers,
Joseph

timmmay

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Reply # 1587605 7-Jul-2016 12:54

Just want to report back. I moved over to Skinny, and it was hassle free. I got a SIM, called the number, then signed up online. Something went wrong (turned out I just entered one number wrong) so I called support, who walked me through the entire process of getting the online account set up, recharge working, number ported, etc. The guy was great. I did this around 5pm, the number ported around 9am the next morning, as expected. The network works just the same as Spark, as far as I can tell, without all the stuff I don't need, and with the big bonus that minutes and text are NZ and Australia.

I can see one opportunity for improvement, around payment. I basically want to "set and forget". It's easy to set up payment of a regular amount, and it's easy to set up a top up of $x after your balance falls below $y. This doesn't account for variable charges, like voicemail calls, or running out of data and paying by the MB. It's not difficult to do, I just log in occasionally and make sure there's bit of credit on the account. The other thing I've done is set the recharge amount a bit higher than my package price, but that means I may end up with a bunch of credit eventually. But if it was completely set and forget, like post pay, it would be a touch easier. The way it is now is probably better for people who like to finely manage their money, but for people who want things to "just work" it's not as good. This may reduce the ability of Skinny to appeal to higher income people who I expect mostly use post pay.

TLDR (the short version): make a completely hands off payment system easier, considering variable charges.

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