CallataGuidesGet a local business phone number in Meridian, TX
Meridian's area code, prefixes and carriers from NANPA records, and how to put a Meridian number in front of your customers.
- Area code
- 254
- Exchanges
- 5NANPA-assigned
- Carriers
- 5
- Population
- 1,423Census 2024 est.
Area codes in Meridian
With 1,423 residents in the Census 2024 estimate, Meridian sits in Bosque County, Texas. All 5 exchanges NANPA lists for its rate center are in area code 254. Meridian is in the Central time zone.
According to NANPA's dialing-plan data, local calls within 254 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 254 | 5 | 100% | 1997 | none | Central |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file and NPA report, dated 10/01/2026.
Phone carriers in Meridian
5 carriers hold the 5 exchanges assigned to Meridian's rate center. Helmsco, INC. has the most, with 1. 4 of them are pooled codes, which the holder shares with other carriers in blocks of 1,000 numbers. A business number in Meridian can come from any of these blocks; once it is yours, porting lets it move between providers.
| Carrier (NANPA operating company) | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Helmsco, INC. | 1 | 20% |
| Southwestern Bell | 1 | 20% |
| Fractel, LLC | 1 | 20% |
| New Cingular Wireless PCS, LLC - Il | 1 | 20% |
| Ip Horizon LLC | 1 | 20% |
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 Meridian
A prefix (NXX) is the three digits after the area code. Numbers starting with these prefixes are rated as local to Meridian. The earliest assignment date recorded in the file for these codes is 2002. 2 of the 5 were assigned in 2020 or later.
| Area code | Prefixes (NXX) |
|---|---|
| 254 | 208, 435, 588, 978, 995 |
Source: NANPA utilized central office code file.
When Meridian's exchanges were assigned
The table groups Meridian's exchanges by the decade NANPA recorded them as assigned.
| Decade assigned | Exchanges | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 1 | 33% |
| 2020s | 2 | 67% |
Assignment dates as recorded in NANPA's utilized code file; codes without a recorded date are excluded.
How local numbers work in Meridian
What a caller sees as "local" is the area code plus prefix. In Meridian, those come from the MERIDIAN rate center, as recorded by NANPA.
New local numbers are drawn from carrier inventory, so the exact 254 numbers available change over time; porting an existing number is free.
Who does business near Meridian
Meridian is part of the Waco, TX metro area, home to 307,000 people in 2024. County Business Patterns counted 6,481 business establishments in the Waco, TX metro area in 2023, employing 115,925 people. The largest sectors by establishment count are retail trade (995), health care and social assistance (742), and other services (except public administration) (727).
| Industry | Establishments | Employees | Employees per establishment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limited-service restaurants | 262 | 5,387 | 20.6 |
| Full-service restaurants | 170 | 4,474 | 26.3 |
| Physician practices | 131 | 2,276 | 17.4 |
| Insurance agencies and brokerages | 129 | 524 | 4.1 |
| Plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors | 116 | 2,107 | 18.2 |
| Offices of real estate agents and brokers | 97 | 192 | 2.0 |
| Law offices | 94 | 501 | 5.3 |
| Dental offices | 88 | 647 | 7.4 |
Selected small-business industries (six-digit NAICS) covered by these guides. Source: Census County Business Patterns 2023.
Setting up a Meridian business line
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 Meridian 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 Waco, TX metro area, 18 users on RingCentral RingEX Core come to $540.00 a month and on Ooma Office Pro $449.10, at month-to-month list prices checked September 28, 2026. Callata comes to $359.00 a month for 18 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 | $359.00 | $4,308.00 |
| Quo (Starter) | $19.00 per user | $342.00 | $4,104.00 |
| Nextiva (Core) | $23.00 per user | $414.00 | $4,968.00 |
| Ooma (Office Pro) | $24.95 per user | $449.10 | $5,389.20 |
| Dialpad (Standard) | $27.00 per user | $486.00 | $5,832.00 |
| RingCentral (RingEX Core) | $30.00 per user | $540.00 | $6,480.00 |
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 Meridian, TX?
254. All exchanges NANPA lists for Meridian are in 254.
How many phone companies have exchanges in Meridian?
5, holding 5 exchanges between them, according to NANPA's 10/01/2026 file.
Can I keep my existing Meridian 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 Meridian?
Callata is $99 a month with 5 users included, then $20 per additional user, with up to 3 local numbers; 18 users come to $359.00 a month. For comparison, 18 users on RingCentral RingEX Core list at $540.00 a month (checked September 28, 2026).