CallataGuidesGet a local business phone number in Madison, AL
Madison's area codes, prefixes and carriers from NANPA records, and how to put a Madison number in front of your customers.
- Area code
- 256 / 938
- Exchanges
- 18NANPA-assigned
- Carriers
- 10
- Population
- 64,029Census 2024 est.
Area codes in Madison
Madison, in Madison County, Alabama, had a Census-estimated population of 64,029 in July 2024. NANPA lists 18 exchanges for its rate center across 2 area codes; 256 has the most (15, 83%). 256 is part of an overlay with 938, so a new local number in Madison may carry any of those codes depending on which have numbers available. Madison is in the Central time zone.
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 256 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits.
Phone carriers in Madison
10 carriers hold the 18 exchanges assigned to Madison's rate center. Bellsouth Telecomm INC d/b/a South Central Bell Tel has the most, with 5. 13 of them are pooled codes, which the holder shares with other carriers in blocks of 1,000 numbers. Holding a code means NANPA assigned that block of numbers to the carrier for this rate center; individual numbers may since have been ported elsewhere.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Bellsouth Telecomm INC d/b/a South Central Bell Tel | 5 | 28% |
| Paetec Itel, LLC | 3 | 17% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - Ga | 2 | 11% |
| Onvoy, LLC - Al | 2 | 11% |
| Metropcs, INC. | 1 | 5.6% |
| Centurylink Communications LLC - Al | 1 | 5.6% |
| Wow! Internet, Cable and Phone | 1 | 5.6% |
| Level 3 Communications, LLC - Al | 1 | 5.6% |
| Powertel Birmingham Licenses, INC. | 1 | 5.6% |
| Onvoy Spectrum, LLC | 1 | 5.6% |
Carrier names are the operating company (OCN) names on NANPA's utilized central office code file dated 10/01/2026. A carrier holding a code may port numbers to other carriers.
Local prefixes for Madison
A prefix (NXX) is the three digits after the area code. Numbers starting with these prefixes are rated as local to Madison. The earliest assignment date recorded in the file for these codes is 2001. 3 of the 18 were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Area code | Prefixes (NXX) |
|---|---|
| 256 | 258, 289, 319, 325, 461, 464, 542, 617, 631, 724, 772, 774, 850, 870, 961 |
| 938 | 247, 303, 310 |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file.
When Madison's exchanges were assigned
The table groups Madison's exchanges by the decade NANPA recorded them as assigned.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 5 | 56% |
| 2010s | 1 | 11% |
| 2020s | 3 | 33% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
What makes a number local to Madison
What a caller sees as "local" is the area code plus prefix. In Madison, those come from the MADISON rate center, as recorded by NANPA.
New local numbers are drawn from carrier inventory, so the exact 256 numbers available change over time; porting an existing number is free.
The local business market
Madison is part of the Huntsville, AL metro area, home to 542,000 people in 2024. County Business Patterns counted 10,924 business establishments in the Huntsville, AL metro area in 2023, employing 219,367 people. The largest sectors by establishment count are professional, scientific, and technical services (1,625), retail trade (1,612), and health care and social assistance (1,347).
| Industry | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited-service restaurants | 462 | 9,720 | 21.0 |
| Physician practices | 349 | 4,888 | 14.0 |
| Engineering services firms | 312 | 19,000 | 60.9 |
| Full-service restaurants | 290 | 7,782 | 26.8 |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 239 | 460 | 1.9 |
| Law offices | 193 | 1,027 | 5.3 |
| Dental offices | 174 | 1,541 | 8.9 |
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 171 | 2,100 | 12.3 |
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Business phone service in Madison
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 Madison 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.
Per-seat phone plans multiply by headcount. For the rounded average establishment size in the Huntsville, AL metro area, 20 users on RingCentral RingEX Core come to $600.00 a month and on Ooma Office Pro $499.00, at month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026. Callata comes to $399.00 a month for 20 users ($99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user), below both.
| Provider (plan) | Pricing basis | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Callata (Callata Office) | $99 incl. 5 users, $20 per extra user | $399.00 | $4,788.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $380.00 | $4,560.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $460.00 | $5,520.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $499.00 | $5,988.00 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $540.00 | $6,480.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $600.00 | $7,200.00 |
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.
Frequently asked questions
What area code is Madison, AL?
Madison has exchanges in 256 and 938; 256 has the most.
How many phone companies have exchanges in Madison?
10, holding 18 exchanges between them, according to NANPA's 10/01/2026 file.
Can I keep my existing Madison business number?
Yes. Porting an existing number to Callata is free. Texting from it starts after carrier registration (10DLC), a one-time $49 fee.
How much is a business phone line in Madison?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, with up to 3 local numbers; 20 users come to $399.00 a month. For comparison, 20 users on RingCentral RingEX Core list at $600.00 a month (checked September 28, 2026).