Samsung Voice to text issue and question

hello everyone. I haven't been on for a long time. I'm recovering from my 2nd back surgery in a year. I have had a rough couple of years.
So I have a question regarding my Samsung Galaxy phone. I had it on tmobile prepaid for a long time but about 2 months ago took my device to Cricket. I'm very happy with them and the unlimited talk and text for 25 has been in the long run a good thing since now it's my only phone. Got rid of the home phone.

So my question is this. Talk to text doesn't work unless my wifi is connected. I don't have data on my phone. Because I have an iPod touch and wifi is enough for me. On my Apple iPad and iPod I can tap the speaker button and the keyboard will fill in what I say with talk to text in a message whether it be on iMessage, email or a simple notepad message. It will do so without wifi connectivity.

With my Samsung I can not get this to work or google voice to work in any shape or form unless on wifi. I'm only wanting it to work so when I'm out an about I can just talk reply to texts etc instead of typing out. My Samsung keyboard is not as easy as my apple that is for sure. I also have no emoji availability. I tried swift key but I still get no emojis.

My phone is running 4.0.4 android. I check for firmware and mine has never let me upgrade so I guess I'm stuck with what I have. I read online if you can just go in to the keyboard settings and tell it to use talk to text in offline downloaded version but I can not locate such a menu. I have tried so many different avenues. I can't get google talk to work in offline mode either. So no. High Galaxy works unless wifi on. Needless to say I'm so frustrated. I wish sometimes my iPod touch 5th generation was an actual phone but alas it isn't and I can't afford to buy new expensive phones outright of pocket at the moment. Hence the medical bills . Ugh

I would appreciate any help I can get on this situation. Do I just have no way to use offline without data? Thank you everyone. And I truly hope you are all doing well! Kelli

 

Thank you everyone. That's what I was afraid of. Oh well. The phone is in hardly used condition since I only used it prepaid. Now I'm using it so no point in changing phones when it works. I could add data I suppose, although I don't use it enough to justify. Any thoughts on an emoji program or something that I can use for that perhaps? Thank you for answering back.


A new phone one day

 

Yes it's crazy. That part should work irregardless just like Apple.

 

I'll check it out. Thanks! I'm currently on the 25 dollar plan with cricket. Unlimited talk and text but no data unless I use my wifi.