@gj1 Sounds like you may have two problems.
1st - What kind of phone do you have? Android or iPhone?
2nd - Does your internet work?
3rd - Does MMS (picture) message work?
If you're on an iPhone. I am thinking a few things.
You're using iMessage instead of text. And iMessage needs wifi or data to work. So you leave the house and now the phone needs data to use iMessage. Either at this point you don't have data turned on, you used up all your data or internet has never worked.
Turn the proper sending on in your iPhone to send SMS / MMS the traditional away through the text system.
If you're using an Android phone then sounds like you're using RCS (like iMessage) and not the traditional text system.
If it's not working when you leave the house then it's likely the same issues. Either you have data turned off, or internet has never worked or all data has been used up.
To use RCS you need wifi or data so you need proper APN settings on an android for internet to work. Add either of the below to see if internet works if internet has never worked (and it's not that you have it turned off)
Remember though. If you use iMessage or RCS that needs wifi or data and will use your data when you leave your house as it is not like that standard text system.
So I suggest you make your settings right on your phone to use the standard text system and also get your internet working if it's not working.
