I've worked on two fully distributed teams, and I can assure that it is was a part of the interview process to determine how well the individual could communica

I've worked on two fully distributed teams, and I can assure that it is was a part of the interview process to determine how well the individual could communicate remotely. If scheduling our call was difficult, or if you were hard to understand on the phone, or if there was excessive background noise, I'd hold that against a candidate. If your emails were not clear and intelligible, that counted as well. People who communicate well remotely stick out like a sore thumb when you are interviewing for those types of roles and if you value it. If you are just looking for warm bodies, I can definitely see how it would be problematic.