CallataGuidesGet a local business phone number in Columbus, MT
Columbus's area code, prefixes and carriers from NANPA records, and how to put a Columbus number in front of your customers.
- Area code
- 406
- Exchanges
- 6NANPA-assigned
- Carriers
- 5
- Population
- 1,966Census 2024 est.
Area codes in Columbus
With 1,966 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, Columbus sits in Stillwater County, Montana. All 6 exchanges NANPA lists for its rate center are in area code 406. Columbus is in the Mountain time zone.
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 406 are dialed as ten digits (area code plus number) and toll calls as 1 plus ten digits.
| Area code | Exchanges here | Share | In service since | Overlay with | Time zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 406 | 6 | 100% | 1947 | none | Mountain |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file and NPA report, dated 10/01/2026.
Columbus exchanges by carrier
5 carriers hold the 6 exchanges assigned to Columbus's rate center. Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - MT has the most, with 2. 6 of them are pooled codes, which the holder shares with other carriers in blocks of 1,000 numbers. A business number in Columbus can come from any of these blocks; once it is yours, porting lets it move between providers.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cellco Partnership d/b/a Verizon Wireless - MT | 2 | 33% |
| Onvoy, LLC - MT | 1 | 17% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC | 1 | 17% |
| Qwest Corporation | 1 | 17% |
| Telnyx LLC | 1 | 17% |
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.
Exchanges (NPA-NXX) assigned in Columbus
Each prefix below is a block of up to 10,000 numbers that NANPA assigned to Columbus's rate center (COLUMBUS). The earliest assignment date recorded in the file for these codes is 2007. 1 of the 6 were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Area code | Prefixes (NXX) |
|---|---|
| 406 | 290, 298, 321, 322, 703, 780 |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file.
When Columbus's exchanges were assigned
The table groups Columbus's exchanges by the decade NANPA recorded them as assigned.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1 | 50% |
| 2020s | 1 | 50% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
How local numbers work in Columbus
What a caller sees as "local" is the area code plus prefix. In Columbus, those come from the COLUMBUS rate center, as recorded by NANPA.
If your business already has a Columbus number, porting it to Callata is free and keeps it on your cards, listings and vehicles.
Who does business near Columbus
Columbus is part of the Billings, MT metro area, home to 193,000 people in 2024. County Business Patterns counted 6,797 business establishments in the Billings, MT metro area in 2023, employing 81,031 people. The largest sectors by establishment count are construction (935), retail trade (778), and health care and social assistance (748).
| Industry | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 201 | — | — |
| Full-service restaurants | 166 | 3,772 | 22.7 |
| Limited-service restaurants | 154 | 3,479 | 22.6 |
| Residential remodelers | 131 | 415 | 3.2 |
| Landscaping services | 115 | 470 | 4.1 |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 114 | 490 | 4.3 |
| Law offices | 109 | 562 | 5.2 |
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 107 | 885 | 8.3 |
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Business phone service in Columbus
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 Columbus 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.
The comparison below uses 12 users, the rounded average establishment size in the Billings, MT metro area. At list prices checked September 28, 2026, that is $299.40 a month on Ooma Office Pro and $360.00 on RingCentral RingEX Core. Callata comes to $239.00 a month for 12 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 | $239.00 | $2,868.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $228.00 | $2,736.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $276.00 | $3,312.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $299.40 | $3,592.80 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $324.00 | $3,888.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $360.00 | $4,320.00 |
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 Columbus, MT?
406. All exchanges NANPA lists for Columbus are in 406.
How many phone companies have exchanges in Columbus?
5, holding 6 exchanges between them, according to NANPA's 10/01/2026 file.
Can I keep my existing Columbus 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 Columbus?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, with up to 3 local numbers; 12 users come to $239.00 a month. For comparison, 12 users on RingCentral RingEX Core list at $360.00 a month (checked September 28, 2026).