We expected a lot more than we got from Microsoft. This service works better as a web meeting tool than a webinar presenter. It can manage meetings with up to 1,250 participants, but the controls are clumsy and the features are limited. It is because of the generic design that Microsoft Office Live Meeting ranked lower than other webinar providers we reviewed.

It doesn't seem that Microsoft is putting a lot of effort into this service. Some of the links on the company's site don't work and the information provided isn't very helpful. Microsoft does offer a large number of live instructor-led training courses to help you learn how to use Live Meeting. However, these are not available on demand. You must schedule a time to attend the webinar on how to create your own webinar.

You have to download the software to host or to attend one of these meetings. Requiring a download will deter some participants from joining your online seminar. However, Live Meeting does offer a variety of helpful features. The application allows users to create profiles and register for the session. Invitations are sent through Outlook or can be sent from the host's personal e-mail. Reminders will be sent periodically after participants have registered.

Like some other webinar services, files can be transferred between the host and users. This can help if you have handouts or additional visual aids that you want to send to your guests. The presenter can also get some feedback through the polling option. A whiteboard and annotation tools are also provided for further interaction.

Sessions can be protected by passwords, if needed. Each presentation is protected by 128-bit AES (Advanced Encryption Standard) encryption. This will stop unauthorized users from viewing your webinar. Additionally, the webinar sessions can be recorded for future playback.

Microsoft Office Live Meeting also supports multiple webcams and VoIP. This will enable you to create an interactive audio/visual presentation. Visual aids always help engage attendees. Embedded videos can also be shared during the presentation in addition to showing your webcam image.

Chat is available, but it is broadcast to the entire group. If you need one-on-one conversation with a participant then this service would not be suited for you. Chat can be saved and reviewed later.

We were surprised to find that this service does not have a live chat option for support services. Considering that Microsoft has its own instant messaging service, one would assume that the customer support page would give you the ability to talk to a customer service representative online. However, Microsoft only offers the standard email support, phone support and FAQs page found with most other webinar services. We submitted some questions through their support request system, but did not receive a reply.