CallataGuidesBusiness phone system for computer systems design services firms in North Carolina
1,947 computer systems design services firms operated in North Carolina in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 1,947CBP 2023
- Employees
- 18,673mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 17.6U.S. 17.1
- State rank
- 10th of 51by count
How many computer systems design services firms operate in North Carolina
The Census Bureau counted 1,947 computer systems design services firms in North Carolina in its 2023 County Business Patterns (NAICS 541512). They employed 18,673 people in mid-March and reported $2.1 billion in annual payroll. That is the 10th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Computer systems design services firms make up 0.75% of the 258,169 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) North Carolina has 17.6 computer systems design services firms, 3.2% above the national rate of 17.1. The average establishment has 9.6 employees against 13.2 nationally. Payroll per employee is $111,950, 8.4% below the U.S. figure of $122,171.
| Measure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 1,947 | 58,113 |
| Mid-March employees | 18,673 | 766,160 |
| Annual payroll | $2,090,450,000 | $93,602,442,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 9.6 | 13.2 |
| Payroll per employee | $111,950 | $122,171 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 17.6 | 17.1 |
Census County Business Patterns 2023 (mid-March employment; annual payroll). Employees and payroll flagged high-noise are shown but not used in the text. Residents: Census Vintage 2024 estimates.
Computer systems design services firms by metro area in North Carolina
Census published IT services firm counts for 30 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of North Carolina. The largest is Charlotte, NC-SC, with 657 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 66% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte, NC-SC | 657 | 3,867 | 22.8 |
| Raleigh, NC | 644 | 4,460 | 41.2 |
| Virginia Beach, VA-NC | 326 | 5,578 | 18.2 |
| Durham, NC | 133 | 5,309 | 21.4 |
| Greensboro, NC | 111 | 1,233 | 13.9 |
| Asheville, NC | 65 | 238 | 15.4 |
| Winston, NC | 62 | 870 | 8.8 |
| Wilmington, NC | 59 | — | 12.3 |
| Fayetteville, NC | 46 | 597 | 11.7 |
| Hickory, NC | 33 | 186 | 8.8 |
| New Bern, NC | 23 | — | 18.2 |
| Jacksonville, NC | 15 | — | 7.0 |
| Boone, NC | 14 | — | 25.5 |
| Burlington, NC | 10 | — | 5.5 |
| Greenville, NC | 8 | 33 | 4.4 |
| Pinehurst, NC | 8 | 14 | 7.4 |
| Morehead City, NC | 6 | — | 8.5 |
| Albemarle, NC | 5 | 11 | 7.4 |
| Anderson Creek, NC | 4 | — | 2.7 |
| Shelby, NC | 4 | — | 3.9 |
| Wilson, NC | 4 | 69 | 5.0 |
| Sanford, NC | 4 | 2 | 5.8 |
| Waynesville, NC | 4 | — | 6.3 |
| Henderson, NC | 4 | 192 | 9.4 |
| Brevard, NC | 4 | — | 11.7 |
Top 25 of 30 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at computer systems design services firms in North Carolina
77.6% of North Carolina's computer systems design services firms with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 74.5% nationally. 86.0% had fewer than ten. That is the size of team where a missed call usually means nobody was free, not that nobody was on staff.
| Employment size | Establishments | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–4 employees | 1,509 | 77.6% | 74.5% |
| 5–9 employees | 164 | 8.4% | 9.7% |
| 10–19 employees | 114 | 5.9% | 6.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 95 | 4.9% | 5.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 63 | 3.2% | 4.4% |
Employment-size classes count establishments by mid-March 2023 employment. Establishments with no March employees are excluded from the size classes, so shares are of establishments with employees. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Why the phone matters for computer systems design services firms in North Carolina
Managed IT and systems integration firms field support calls that range from a forgotten password to a server outage. Clients judge them by how quickly someone answers when something breaks. That holds for computer systems design services firms in North Carolina as much as anywhere.
A few of the calls that come in to computer systems design services firms in North Carolina:
- A client calls because email is down for the whole office.
- A prospect calls to ask about managed IT.
- A user calls to reset a password.
When nobody can pick up
Outages do not keep business hours, so routing urgent after-hours calls to an on-call technician is common.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Phone system pricing for a 10-person IT services firm
Computer systems design services firms in North Carolina average 9.6 employees, so the comparison uses a 10-person team. Priced per seat, 10 users would run $300.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core and $249.50 on Ooma Office Pro (month-to-month list prices, checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 10 people cost $199.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $1,212. Some vendors discount annual contracts; the table shows month-to-month prices.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $199.00 | $2,388.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $190.00 | $2,280.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $230.00 | $2,760.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $249.50 | $2,994.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $270.00 | $3,240.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $300.00 | $3,600.00 |
Competitor prices are each vendor's published month-to-month list price per user for its lowest plan that includes business calling and texting, checked September 28, 2026: Quo Starter $19, Nextiva Core $23, Ooma Office Pro $24.95 (Essentials excludes texting; one-time $29.95 activation not included), Dialpad Standard $27, RingCentral RingEX Core $30 ($20 billed annually). Prices exclude taxes and fees and may change; annual contracts lower some competitors' prices.
Area codes in North Carolina
North Carolina has 10 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your clients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 910 | 785 | Eastern | 1993 | 472 |
| 336 | 783 | Eastern | 1997 | 743 |
| 704 | 782 | Eastern | 1947 | 980 |
| 919 | 781 | Eastern | 1954 | 984 |
| 828 | 724 | Eastern | 1998 | none |
| 252 | 695 | Eastern | 1998 | none |
| 980 | 463 | Eastern | 2001 | 704 |
| 984 | 295 | Eastern | 2012 | 919 |
| 743 | 160 | Eastern | 2016 | 336 |
| 472 | 106 | Eastern | 2022 | 910 |
Exchanges are NANPA-assigned central office codes (NPA-NXX) in the rate centers matched to the area's named places. Source: NANPA utilized code and NPA reports.
How Callata works for computer systems design services firms in North Carolina
Callata Office costs $99 per month for up to 5 people, and each additional user is $20 a month. That covers up to 3 local numbers, calling from a browser or your cell, transcribed voicemail, recorded calls with AI summaries, after-hours routing and E911 on each number.
If you already have a number in North Carolina, porting it to Callata is free. Texting from a local number requires a one-time carrier registration (10DLC, $49), and the numbers available in any area code depend on carrier inventory when you choose them.
Optional AI agents (receptionist, sales, support or scheduler) can answer calls after hours or when nobody picks up, take messages, text, email and transfer to your team. They are billed from prepaid AI minutes at $0.25 per minute, identify themselves as AI, and may only place outbound calls to people who consented, between 8am and 9pm.
Frequently asked questions
How many computer systems design services firms are in North Carolina?
1,947 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 18,673 people in mid-March.
Which North Carolina metro area has the most computer systems design services firms?
Charlotte, NC-SC, with 657 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 10-person IT services firm?
$300.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $249.50 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $199.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a North Carolina number?
Yes. US carriers require business texting from local numbers to be registered (10DLC). On Callata the registration is a one-time $49 fee, and texting turns on once it is approved.