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Business phone system for all other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina

1,484 all other specialty trade contractors operated in South Carolina in 2023. Where they are, how big their teams are, and what phone service costs them.

Establishments
1,484CBP 2023
Employees
7,155mid-March 2023
Per 100k residents
27.1U.S. 12.6
State rank
8th of 51by count

The specialty trade contractor industry in South Carolina

County Business Patterns counts 1,484 establishments in South Carolina classified as All Other Specialty Trade Contractors (NAICS 238990) for 2023. They employed 7,155 people in mid-March and reported $402.5 million in annual payroll. That is the 8th highest count among the 51 states and DC with published figures. All other specialty trade contractors make up 1.2% of the 122,958 business establishments in the state.

Per 100,000 residents (2024 estimate) South Carolina has 27.1 all other specialty trade contractors, 115.5% above the national rate of 12.6. The average establishment has 4.8 employees against 7.2 nationally. Payroll per employee is $56,250, 20.6% below the U.S. figure of $70,871.

All other specialty trade contractors: South Carolina compared with the U.S., 2023
MeasureSouth CarolinaUnited States
Establishments1,48442,748
Mid-March employees7,155309,293
Annual payroll$402,466,000$21,919,877,000
Employees per establishment4.87.2
Payroll per employee$56,250$70,871
Establishments per 100,000 residents27.112.6

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.

South Carolina's largest markets for all other specialty trade contractors

Census published specialty trade contractor counts for 16 metro or micropolitan areas that include part of South Carolina. The largest is Charlotte, NC-SC, with 402 establishments (a multi-state area; its count covers every state it spans). Single-state metro and micropolitan areas account for 86% of the statewide total; the rest are outside any published area or in areas Census suppressed.

All other specialty trade contractors by metro or micropolitan area, South Carolina, 2023
AreaEstablishmentsEmployeesPer 100k residents
Charlotte, NC-SC4022,91813.9
Charleston, SC2811,57832.3
Greenville, SC2641,15026.5
Columbia, SC18693821.4
Myrtle Beach, SC17596142.3
Hilton Head Island, SC13056254.8
Spartanburg, SC8634821.7
Augusta, GA-SC623369.7
Seneca, SC369243.6
Florence, SC3513817.5
Murrells Inlet, SC2514837.9
Sumter, SC2015519.1
Orangeburg, SC169019.2
Greenwood, SC13—13.7
Gaffney, SC84013.8
Newberry, SC72517.9

Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023; population from Census Vintage 2024 estimates.

Team sizes at all other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina

73.6% of South Carolina's all other specialty trade contractors with employees had fewer than five people in March 2023, compared with 67.0% nationally. 88.4% 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.

All other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina by employment size, 2023
Employment sizeEstablishmentsShareU.S. share
1–4 employees1,09273.6%67.0%
5–9 employees22014.8%16.2%
10–19 employees1127.5%9.6%
20–49 employees483.2%5.3%
50 or more employees120.8%1.8%

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 a specialty trade contractor in South Carolina has to catch

This category covers fencing, paving, pool construction and other specialty work. These contractors depend on estimate calls from homeowners and businesses and are usually in the field. That holds for all other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina as much as anywhere.

A few of the calls that come in to all other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina:

What all other specialty trade contractors text about

Contractors text estimates and scheduling windows.

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

What a phone system costs a specialty trade contractor in South Carolina

All other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina average 4.8 employees, so the comparison uses a 5-person team. On a per-user plan that headcount sets the bill: $124.75 a month on Ooma Office Pro or $150.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core at list price (checked September 28, 2026). Callata comes to $99.00 a month for 5 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.

Over a year, that is $612 less than RingCentral for a specialty trade contractor in South Carolina of that size. Annual contracts lower some competitors' prices, so compare the plan you would actually sign.

Monthly list price for a 5-person specialty trade contractor
Provider (plan)Pricing basisPer monthPer year
Callata (Callata Office)$99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user$99.00$1,188.00
Quo (Starter)$19.00 per user$95.00$1,140.00
Nextiva (Core)$23.00 per user$115.00$1,380.00
Ooma (Office Pro)$24.95 per user$124.75$1,497.00
Dialpad (Standard)$27.00 per user$135.00$1,620.00
RingCentral (RingEX Core)$30.00 per user$150.00$1,800.00

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 South Carolina

South Carolina has 6 geographic area codes in service according to NANPA. Callata includes up to 3 local numbers, so a specialty trade contractor can hold a number in more than one of them.

Area codes in South Carolina by assigned exchanges
Area codeExchangesTime zoneIn service sinceOverlay with
803784Eastern1947839
864784Eastern1995821
843783Eastern1998854
839190Eastern2020803
854182Eastern2015843
82142Eastern2024864

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 all other specialty trade contractors in South Carolina

Callata is a business phone system priced at $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user. Callata Office includes up to 3 local business numbers, unlimited inbound calling, 1,500 pooled outbound US and Canada minutes per user each month, a browser softphone that can also ring your cell, voicemail with transcription, call recording with AI summaries, business-hours routing and E911 on every number.

Porting a number you already use in South Carolina 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.

Frequently asked questions

How many all other specialty trade contractors are in South Carolina?

1,484 in 2023, according to Census County Business Patterns. They employed 7,155 people in mid-March.

Which South Carolina metro area has the most all other specialty trade contractors?

Charlotte, NC-SC, with 402 establishments in 2023.

What does a phone system cost a 5-person specialty trade contractor?

$150.00 a month on RingCentral RingEX Core or $124.75 on Ooma Office Pro at month-to-month list prices (checked September 28, 2026); $99.00 on Callata ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user).

Do I need to register to text customers from a South 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.