Skinny Keep My Number: Free Step-by-Step Porting Guide
Switching mobile carriers usually comes with a nagging worry: will I lose my number? Skinny Mobile makes it straightforward — you can keep your existing New Zealand number for free, and the steps below show exactly what to do.
Number porting time: 1-2 business days ·
Prepaid SIM expiry: 12 months with no top-up ·
Free bonus data for new switch: 8 GB on $17+ plan ·
Number transfer code: 456 ·
Skinny mobile network coverage: 98.5% of NZ population
Quick snapshot
- Number porting to Skinny is free (Skinny NZ (official carrier))
- Call 456 from the new Skinny SIM to start porting (Spark/Skinny Help (parent company guidance))
- Prepaid SIM expires after 12 months of no top-up (Skinny SIM Help (official support page))
- Old SIM must remain active during porting (Skinny Prepay Plans (plan details))
- Exact porting time can vary depending on your current carrier (Skinny Contact (official support))
- Whether porting works with some business or landline numbers (My Skinny (online account portal))
- Specific steps if your current carrier is a smaller MVNO (Reddit user r/newzealand (community discussion))
- Day 1: Sign up for Skinny and receive new SIM (Skinny NZ)
- Day 1–2: Call 456 to initiate number porting (Spark/Skinny Help)
- Day 2–3: Number transfer completes (usually 1–2 business days) (Skinny Prepay Plans)
- Once ported, contact your old carrier to close the account (Spark/Skinny Help)
- Top up at least once every 12 months to keep your number active (Skinny SIM Help)
Five key facts, one pattern: everything hinges on the 456 call and keeping your old SIM active until the transfer finishes.
| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Porting time | 1-2 business days |
| Porting code | 456 (call from Skinny SIM) |
| Prepaid SIM expiry | 12 months with no top-up |
| Free bonus for switching | 8 GB on $17+ 4-weekly plan |
| Number check USSD | *#100# |
How do I keep my old number with Skinny?
The process has four clear steps. Follow them in order and you’ll keep your existing number without a hitch.
- Step 1: Sign up for Skinny
- Order a Skinny SIM or activate an eSIM from Skinny NZ (official carrier). Activation must be done inside New Zealand (Skinny Prepay Plans).
- Insert the SIM into your phone. If using eSIM, scan the QR code – but note that eSIM will initially get a random number (Spark/Skinny Help).
- Step 2: Provide your current carrier details
- When you call 456, you’ll need your old SIM’s serial number (16–17 digits) if you’re on a prepay service, or your account number if you’re on a monthly plan (Skinny Prepay Plans).
- Your old account must still be active when the request is submitted (Skinny Prepay Plans).
- Step 3: Call 456 to activate
- Dial 456 from your Skinny SIM. This triggers the number porting request (Spark/Skinny Help).
- You can also submit the request online after logging into your My Skinny account: go to “Phone, SIM & Number” and select “Keep your number” (Spark/Skinny Help).
- Step 4: Final confirmation
- You’ll receive a text from the Telecommunications Forum (TCF) on 2542 asking you to confirm the transfer. You must reply YES (Spark/Skinny Help).
- If you choose “as soon as possible”, the transfer happens within 3 hours during business hours. Otherwise you can pick a date and time (Spark/Skinny Help).
- Once the number moves to Skinny, contact your old carrier to close the account (Spark/Skinny Help).
You must keep your old SIM active during the entire porting process. If you cancel it early, the transfer fails and you could lose your number. A Reddit user r/newzealand (community discussion) noted: “You’ll need to keep your old sim card active as you have to do a bit of a swap out to confirm that you want to move the old number.”
How do I transfer my old number to a new SIM card?
This is essentially the same as keeping your number, but the key detail is that the new SIM acts as the destination for the port.
- Insert new Skinny SIM into phone
- Activate the new Skinny SIM by calling 456 or scanning the eSIM QR code (Skinny Prepay Plans). The SIM must be activated in New Zealand.
- Once activated, the SIM will have a temporary number. Don’t worry – that’ll be replaced by your old number.
- Call 456 to start porting
- Dial 456 from the new Skinny SIM. Provide your old SIM’s serial number or account number (Skinny Prepay Plans).
- You can also start the process via the My Skinny online account (Spark/Skinny Help).
- Keep old SIM active until port completes
- Your old number stays on the old SIM until the transfer finishes. Do not remove your old SIM or cancel the plan (Spark/Skinny Help).
- After the TCF confirmation text, you’ll need to put the old SIM back in your phone briefly to reply YES (Spark/Skinny Help).
- Once the number moves, the new Skinny SIM will have your old number. Data and contacts are not transferred by the SIM – back them up separately.
If you transfer the number to a new Skinny SIM, the temporary number on the old Skinny SIM is discarded. Make sure you haven’t given that temporary number to anyone important.
The trade-off: you need to keep both SIMs handy for about 48 hours. The benefit is a seamless number transfer that doesn’t require a new plan or contract.
How do I find my Skinny mobile number?
Three quick ways to check your Skinny number – useful if you need to give it to someone or verify before porting.
Dial *#100# from your Skinny phone
- This free USSD code displays your mobile number on screen (Skinny Prepay Plans).
Check your account online
- Log in to My Skinny (online account portal) and your number appears under your plan details.
Look on the SIM card packaging
- The number is printed on the credit-card-sized SIM holder that came with your SIM (Skinny Prepay Plans).
The pattern: all three methods are fast and don’t require a call to customer support. If you’ve lost the packaging, *#100# is the quickest.
How do I transfer my SIM card to a new phone?
- Power off both phones. Remove the SIM from the old phone and insert it into the new phone. If the SIM size matches (nano, micro, standard), no further action is needed (Skinny SIM Help).
- If the SIM size is different, order a free replacement from Skinny (Skinny NZ).
- Power on the new phone. Your mobile number travels with the SIM, so no need to contact Skinny.
Does a Skinny SIM expire?
- Yes – prepaid Skinny SIMs expire after 12 months with no top-up (Skinny SIM Help).
- After expiry, your number is recycled and you lose it.
- To avoid this, top up at least once every 12 months. Skinny sends a reminder SMS before expiry (Skinny SIM Help).
If you’re only using Skinny as a backup SIM, you still need to top up once a year to keep your number. Set a calendar reminder – losing a number you’ve tied to banking or two-factor authentication is a hassle.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Skinny allows number porting from any NZ carrier (Skinny NZ)
- Porting is initiated by calling 456 (Spark/Skinny Help)
- Prepaid SIM expires after 12 months of no activity (Skinny SIM Help)
- You can keep your number when switching to Skinny (Skinny Prepay Plans)
- Transfer can be scheduled or done ASAP (Spark/Skinny Help)
What’s unclear
- Exact porting time depends on your current carrier
- Whether porting works with some business or landline numbers
- Specific steps if your current carrier is a smaller MVNO
The implication: verified steps are clear, but edge cases may require direct contact with Skinny.
What others say
“Just pop the new Skinny SIM card into your phone and call 456.”
– Skinny help page (official carrier instructions)
“You’ll need to keep your old sim card active as you have to do a bit of a swap out to confirm that you want to move the old number.”
The process is free and takes a couple of days, but the real risk is letting your old SIM lapse before the port finishes. For anyone in New Zealand switching to Skinny, the choice is clear: keep your old SIM active, call 456, and reply YES to the TCF text – or lose your number and start fresh.
apps.apple.com, canstar.co.nz, reddit.com, kaigai-free-life.com, skinny.co.nz, facebook.com, acma.gov.au, thewarehouse.co.nz
Before you can port your number to Skinny, you’ll first need to get a PAC code from your current provider.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep my number if I switch to Skinny from any carrier?
Yes, Skinny supports number porting from all major New Zealand mobile carriers. The process is free and requires a few steps outlined above (Skinny NZ).
How long does number porting to Skinny take?
Porting typically takes 1-2 business days. If you select “as soon as possible”, it can happen within 3 hours during business hours (Spark/Skinny Help).
Is there a fee to keep my number with Skinny?
No, number porting to Skinny is completely free (Skinny Prepay Plans).
What should I do if my number porting fails?
Check that your old SIM is still active, that you called 456 correctly, and that you replied YES to the TCF confirmation text. If issues persist, contact Skinny support (Skinny Contact).
Can I port a landline number to Skinny?
Skinny’s porting process is designed for mobile numbers. Landline porting may not be supported – check with Skinny directly (Skinny NZ).
Will I lose my contacts when I switch SIM?
No, contacts are stored on your phone or in the cloud, not on the SIM. Back them up if you’re unsure (Skinny SIM Help).
Do I need to cancel my old plan before porting?
No, do not cancel your old plan. Keep it active until the port completes. After the number moves, contact your old carrier to close the account (Spark/Skinny Help).
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