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NZ mobile market share stable as 3G shutdown begins

Bill Bennett January 22, 2026

Spark, One NZ, 2degrees hold market share positions

In its latest report, Telcowatch says One New Zealand was the leading mobile service provider in fourth quarter of 2025 in terms of market share. One NZ has a 36% share of the market.

While this puts One NZ well ahead of second-place Spark (32% market share), Telcowatch regards Spark’s budget-price Skinny brand as a separate entity.

Skinny has a 6% market share. If this is combined with Spark’s 32%, then Spark remains the overall market leader with a 38% share. This would be the market share metric that matters in telco boardrooms. It also makes sense as Skinny is now closely integrated with the rest of Spark.

Meanwhile, more than three years after 2degrees merged with Orcon, the business has 26% of the market.

This tells us New Zealand’s mobile phone market has been stable for a long time. Six years ago in the January 2020 Telcowatch report, Spark combined with Skinny commanded a 41% market share.

One NZ, then known as Vodafone, was on 36%, the same as today. Likewise Skinny was on 6% then and now. 2degrees was on 23%. Over the long haul 2degrees has won 3% of market share from Spark’s main brand.

New Zealand's mobile market has been remarkably stable since 2014

Mobile Company	Q4 2025 Share	Jan 2020 Share	Change (pts)
One New Zealand	36%	36%	0%
2degrees	26%	23%	+3%
Spark (Core Brand)	32%	35%	-3%
Skinny	6%	6%	0%
Total Spark + Skinny	38%	41%	-3%

One NZ begins 3G shutdown in Dunedin

One New Zealand has begun shutting down its 3G mobile network and moving customers to 4G and 5G services. The company says the switch off started earlier this week in the Dunedin region where the 3G network shut down on Tuesday January 20.

Kieran Byrne, chief technology officer, says last year One NZ completed 258 mobile upgrades in anticipation of the 3G shutdown. Every One NZ site is now equipped with 4G, many have 5G.

While closing the 3G network represents progress, it remains controversial. Last July the Digital Equity Coalition Aotearoa identified risks associated with the shutdown, including a general lack of awareness about the move.

Satellite messaging drives holiday traffic growth

Posting on Linkedin, One New Zealand general manager of network services, Sharina Nisha, reports on the company’s holiday traffic stats:

One NZ saw greater than 50% increase in traffic at key holiday destinations.
On Christmas Day, One NZ customers sent the eight millionth satellite message on the company’s network.
Satellite data went live with data traffic up 100%.

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Nokia and Connexa partner to streamline network operations

A deal with Nokia means Connexa is the first mobile tower operator to outsource its network operations to a third-party service provider rather than managing them in-house or through traditional channels.

The move will see Connexa consolidate its operations from multiple local providers. The goal is to simplify operations, improve efficiency and give customers better network availability.

Connexa will use Nokia’s expertise, tools and practices in network operations automation. CEO Rob Berrill says Nokia will help Connexa better manage its distributed tower network – over 2,500 sites (and counting) across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Five years ago we covered tech’s Great Leap Forward

The early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic saw a wave of rapid technology adoption that became a permanent part of our lives.

Covid’s technology Great Leap Forward - Bill BennettTechnology adoption took off within days when the world went into lockdown for the Covid pandemic. We left forward by years.Bill BennettBill Bennett

This time last year Chorus reported surging data use on its networks:

NZ monthly data use climbs at end of 2024 to 644GBNew Zealander’s data consumption has climbed thirteen-fold in a decade and downloading a monthly terabyte is no longer outlier behaviour. The mobile market is largely static. PC sales improve.Bill BennettBill Bennett

Correction:

Last week’s story “Southern Cross Cable talks Tasman Express plans” ended with a line saying the rival Tasman Ring Network being built by Datagrid and Chorus. During its recent results presentation Chorus announced it “had ended its engagement with the project”.

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