I take the Phase Lance over Pulse Laser every time. No, it doesn't do hard flux but it does drive up shields pretty quickly. Secondly, it is absurdly better at penetrating armor than the Pulse Laser. It also has an overall flux profile that is more manageable than the Pulse Laser.
To buff the weapon...? Range is a bit short, no doubt, but I think its a great assault weapon as-is. Also, I believe Beams will have a skill next patch that allows them to do hard flux at reduced range. I don't know if the Phase Lance is in the mix for that but if it is, it will be more general-purpose than it is.