Virtual Office Pro

Small businesses need and online meeting tools to get started. Instead of going for separate tools, Virtual Office Pro bundles both services for $50/month. With it, you get unlimited voice calling and online conferencing.

Phone service sounds great and includes faxing. Online conferencing 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.

IPhone app works through a Wi-Fi or 3G connection

An iPhone app works through a Wi-Fi or 3G connection, 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.)