Phone service sounds great and includes faxing. includes video chat and screen sharing, but it lacks basic document sharing. Unfortunately, weak design choices, strange problems, and other limitations make Virtual Office Pro feel like it tries to do too much without first fulfilling the basics.

Phone service anchors Virtual Office Pro. After a $40 installation fee, the monthly rate includes all calls in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. That service even includes Guam, France, Ireland, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, making it a great fit if you do regular business in one of those locations.

Your locally-assigned phone number places and receive calls in several ways. A Flash-enabled browser acts as a phone, ideally paired with a headset microphone. 8x8 sells a hardware VoIP phone for $200 that sits on your desk.

An iPhone app works through a , although the current version can't work in the background. Calls sound clear in all tested combinations. (A hardware phone wasn't included in this review.)

Online conferencing tools include several good features, but never feel complete. You can video chat with up to 8 other people. Text chat is also supported.