Update IPhone Without Losing Ability To Text Message

Each time I update the software on my iphone it stops sending text / imessages. Is there a way to ensure that this most basic of functions works whether the software updates or is the answer trawling through a bunch of 'troubleshooting' pages? the primary purposes of my phone are voice calls and text messages, it baffles me how this piece of equipment will regularly stop doing these things, seemingly at random. Any way not including reference to the troubleshooting pages, even if it's 'stop updating'.