set up cellular data on ipad air gen 4

ALZV wrote:

Please clarify something for me, if you cannot receive phone calls or texts to the number associated with an iPad SIM, what is it used for? Looks like this feature is not what I had hoped. Thanks so much for your input, much appreciated.

IF you want to text or call on the ipad, you will need an iphone to set this up Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support

Adding cellular allows you to use the ipad on via cellular data, not make calls or text, you could use facetime or imessage.

What is the model number that starts with A of the iPad under Settings->General->About->Model? Link-> Identify your iPad model - Apple Support

If it's a cellular model, there's nothing to activate on the iPad by Apple. Consumer Cellular should just need to issue you a SIM card with their service you can insert into the iPad's SIM card slot.

If its a Wi-Fi only model, then it cannot use cellular service directly as it lacks the hardware for it.

Link-> Set up cellular data service on your Wi-Fi + Cellular model iPad - Apple Support

Yes, it is true that a cellular iPad needs a data SIM, not a voice SIM. A cellular iPad uses the data portion of the cellular system, not the voice+SMS portion. Very little point to keeping the same phone number, as you cannot receive phone calls or texts to the number associated with an iPad SIM.

The Cellular portion of the iPad is used for internet access while away from Wi-Fi.

It is not meant for making cellular calls or sending SMS messages on its own.

If you need to make calls, and send SMS messages then you need an iPhone, not an iPad.

ALZV wrote:

Please clarify something for me, if you cannot receive phone calls or texts to the number associated with an iPad SIM, what is it used for? Looks like this feature is not what I had hoped. Thanks so much for your input, much appreciated.

Did you mean to ask what the SIM is used for or what the number is used for? Others have answered what the SIM is used for. I'll talk about what the number is used for.

The number associated with the iPad SIM is for the company to track billing, data routing, and the like. It has no use to the end user except when we need to talk to the carrier about which specific line on our account we mean. (My family account has four data-only devices on it. I wouldn't want them to disconnect my iPad when I meant my wife's Watch.)

ALZV wrote:

how do I set up cellular data on my ipad air 4th generation?

you contact your cellular data provider.

Also, the WiFi and cellular data models have the proper GPS satellite antennas installed to be able to use an iPad as a precision GPS device.