Business phone system for optometry practices in Mississippi

How many optometry practices operate in Mississippi

Mississippi had 199 optometry practices in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns (NAICS 621320, Offices of Optometrists). They employed 1,419 people in mid-March and reported $59.1 million in annual payroll. That is the 36th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. Optometry practices make up 0.33% of the 60,465 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) Mississippi has 6.8 optometry practices, 2.2% above the national rate of 6.6. The average establishment has 7.1 employees against 6.6 nationally. Payroll per employee is $41,655, 14.8% below the U.S. figure of $48,910.

Optometry practices by metro area in Mississippi

Census published optometry practice counts for 16 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of Mississippi. The largest is Memphis, TN-MS-AR, with 74 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.

Team sizes at optometry practices in Mississippi

43.9% of Mississippi's optometry practices with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 47.9% nationally. 76.8% had fewer than ten. At that size the phone is shared, so routing (who rings, when, and what happens after hours) matters more than the number of desk phones.

What optometry practices in Mississippi use the phone for

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 Mississippi might handle in a typical week include:

• A patient calls to check whether new glasses are ready for pickup.
• Someone calls about sudden eye irritation and asks whether to come in.
• A patient calls to reorder contact lenses.

Texting patients

Optometry offices text patients when an eyewear or contact lens order is ready for pickup, along with appointment reminders.

Texting from a local number in Mississippi requires carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee on Callata.

What a phone system costs an optometry practice in Mississippi

Optometry practices in Mississippi average 7.1 employees, so the comparison uses a 7-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $174.65 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $210.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $139.00 a month for 7 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $852 less than RingCentral for an optometry practice in Mississippi of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Area codes in Mississippi

Mississippi has 5 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so an optometry practice can hold a number in more than one of them.

How Callata works for optometry practices in Mississippi

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.

Porting a number you already use in Mississippi is free, and business texting is available once the carrier registration (10DLC) is approved; the registration carries a one-time $49 fee. Which specific numbers are open in a given area code depends on carrier inventory at the time you sign up.

AI agents are optional: an AI receptionist or scheduler can pick up when the team is busy or closed, take a message, send a text or email, or transfer the call. They draw on prepaid AI minutes ($0.25/minute), disclose that they are AI, and outbound AI calls require prior consent and are limited to 8am–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.