Earlier quoted context omitted.
SMS receiving is free everywhere, it has nothing to do with data roaming and generic roaming - available on the network - has been free since I had a mobile phone (~17 years). Doesn't make it a the best option though.
That must be based on a very limited experience. In the U.S. it was common up until maybe 5 years ago for carriers to charge 10c per sent and received SMS. And that's still true unless you have a plan that explicitly makes them unlimited and free (which is admittedly most of them). If your carrier is e.g. AT&T you have to sign up for an international service plan or you simply do not receive text messages. The typica…
Charging for receiving is mad. Are they chargign for receiving letters as well? You can make someone pay by sending sms to them, this is crazy and evil.