Got Google Voice?

Ever travel overseas only to get charged exorbitant roaming fees by your cell phone carrier for calls made to friends and family back home? It happens all the time: Your plane lands on an international tarmac and suddenly you’re chatting away with a certain someone back home while AT&T or T-Mobile collects a huge payout for roaming fees. And don’t let Bermuda’s proximity to the eastern U.S. fool you. Even though the island is less than two hours from most east coast destinations, cell phone calls made from Bermuda will definitely cost you when you get home. That’s why I’m such a big fan of Google Voice. The brand new service from the Internet search giant lets Gmail users make free phone calls to the U.S. and Canada from all overseas destinations. That means if you can wait until you get to your hotel’s business center—or with hope, access a free Wi-Fi signal at your vacation property—that call back home to say you’ve arrived safely is 100% free, at least through the end of the year that is (although calls to the U.S. and Canada will cost just a few cents per minute starting January 1, 2011). Live here in Bermuda? All the more reason to consider ditching that pricey Cable & Wireless bill for all of your international calling needs. Happy chatting!