Business phone system for optometry practices in Georgia
700 optometry practices operated in Georgia in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.
- Establishments
- 700CBP 2023
- Employees
- 4,195mid-March 2023
- Per 100k residents
- 6.3U.S. 6.6
- State rank
- 8th of 51by count
Optometry practices in Georgia by the numbers
County Business Patterns counts 700 establishments in Georgia classified as Offices of Optometrists (NAICS 621320) for 2023. They employed 4,195 people in mid-March and reported $210.2 million in annual payroll. That is the 8th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Optometry practices make up 0.27% of the 261,320 business establishments in the state.
Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Georgia has 6.3 optometry practices, 5.4% below the national rate of 6.6. The average establishment has 6.0 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $50,113, 2.5% above the U.S. figure of $48,910.
| Measure | Georgia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Establishments | 700 | 22,501 |
| Mid-March employees | 4,195 | 147,931 |
| Annual payroll | $210,224,000 | $7,235,361,000 |
| Employees per establishment | 6.0 | 6.6 |
| Payroll per employee | $50,113 | $48,910 |
| Establishments per 100,000 residents | 6.3 | 6.6 |
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.
Optometry practices by metro area in Georgia
Census published optometry practice counts for 27 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Georgia. The largest is Atlanta, GA, with 459 establishments. Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 88% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.
| Area | Establishments | Employees | Per 100k residents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta, GA | 459 | 2,573 | 7.2 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 41 | 249 | 7.0 |
| Augusta, GA-SC | 31 | 160 | 4.9 |
| Savannah, GA | 23 | 171 | 5.3 |
| Gainesville, GA | 16 | 50 | 7.2 |
| Warner Robins, GA | 13 | 113 | 6.4 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | 11 | 87 | 3.4 |
| Athens, GA | 11 | 80 | 4.9 |
| Macon, GA | 10 | 90 | 4.2 |
| Brunswick, GA | 9 | 56 | 7.7 |
| Dalton, GA | 8 | 61 | 5.5 |
| Albany, GA | 8 | 83 | 5.5 |
| Rome, GA | 7 | — | 6.9 |
| LaGrange, GA-AL | 6 | 33 | 5.7 |
| Statesboro, GA | 6 | 53 | 6.2 |
| Jefferson, GA | 6 | — | 6.4 |
| Vidalia, GA | 5 | 25 | 13.9 |
| Kingsland, GA | 4 | 27 | 6.8 |
| Americus, GA | 4 | — | 11.9 |
| Valdosta, GA | 3 | — | 2.0 |
| Hinesville, GA | 3 | — | 3.4 |
| Thomasville, GA | 3 | — | 4.1 |
| Waycross, GA | 3 | — | 5.3 |
| Douglas, GA | 3 | — | 5.7 |
| Cornelia, GA | 3 | 23 | 6.0 |
Top 25 of 27 areas by establishments. Source: Census CBP 2023.
Team sizes at optometry practices in Georgia
53.9% of Georgia's optometry practices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 47.9% nationally. 81.8% 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 | 377 | 53.9% | 47.9% |
| 5–9 employees | 195 | 27.9% | 32.2% |
| 10–19 employees | 94 | 13.4% | 15.5% |
| 20–49 employees | 33 | 4.7% | 4.0% |
| 50 or more employees | 0 | 0.0% | 0.4% |
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.
Calls an optometry practice in Georgia has to catch
Eye-care offices combine exam scheduling with eyewear and contact-lens orders, so callers want both appointments and order status. Calls about broken glasses or eye irritation also need to reach someone quickly.
Calls an optometry practice in Georgia might handle in a typical week include:
- A patient calls to check whether new glasses are ready for pickup.
- The office calls patients when an order arrives.
- A parent calls to book a child's eye exam before the school year.
Calls after closing time
After-hours messages are typically order questions or appointment requests that can be returned the next business day.
Callata voicemail is transcribed and triaged for urgency, and business-hours routing decides where calls go once you close.
Phone system pricing for a 6-person optometry practice
Optometry practices in Georgia average 6.0 employees, so the comparison uses a 6-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $149.70 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $180.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). On Callata the same 6 people cost $119.00 a month, less than either per-seat plan.
The annual difference against RingCentral's monthly list price comes to $732. 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 | $119.00 | $1,428.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $114.00 | $1,368.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $138.00 | $1,656.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $149.70 | $1,796.40 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $162.00 | $1,944.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $180.00 | $2,160.00 |
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 Georgia
Georgia has 10 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. You can choose local numbers in the area codes your patients know, subject to carrier inventory, or port your current number for free.
| Area code | Exchanges | Time zone | In service since | Overlay with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 470 | 786 | Eastern | 2010 | 404, 678, 770, 943 |
| 678 | 785 | Eastern | 1998 | 404, 470, 770, 943 |
| 404 | 784 | Eastern | 1947 | 470, 678, 943 |
| 770 | 784 | Eastern | 1995 | 470, 678, 943 |
| 706 | 777 | Eastern | 1992 | 762 |
| 912 | 729 | Eastern | 1954 | 565 |
| 229 | 683 | Eastern | 2000 | none |
| 478 | 445 | Eastern | 2000 | none |
| 762 | 376 | Eastern | 2006 | 706 |
| 943 | 152 | Eastern | 2022 | 404, 470, 678, 470, 678, 770 |
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 optometry practices in Georgia
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 Georgia, 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.
Practices that handle protected health information should review their own privacy obligations before recording calls, enabling AI summaries or texting appointment details, and keep clinical conversations out of text messages unless their policies allow it.
Frequently asked questions
How many optometry practices are in Georgia?
700 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 4,195 people in mid-March.
Which Georgia metro area has the most optometry practices?
Atlanta, GA, with 459 establishments in 2023.
What does a phone system cost a 6-person optometry practice?
$180.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $149.70 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $119.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).
Do I need to register to text customers from a Georgia 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.