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I recently got an Ipad 8th generation that is cellular and wifi enabled. I got a phone number/sim card from my phone provider. I activated the sim card and put it into the Ipad. It gave me my phone number; however, it will not let me text anyone if they do not have an apple product. Any suggestions?
iPad, iPadOS 15
Your iPad is not a cellular telephone! Your cellular connection allows you to use cellular data. It does not allow telephone calls or SMS text messages.
If you happen to also own an iPhone, you may forward text messages to/from the iPhone.
Your iPad is not a cellular telephone! Your cellular connection allows you to use cellular data. It does not allow telephone calls or SMS text messages.
If you happen to also own an iPhone, you may forward text messages to/from the iPhone.
iPads are NOT iPhones/smart phones.
Cellular data iPads use cellular data SIMs for access to the Internet over a cellular data services and for use as a precise GPS navigation device.
No iPad can make cellular phone cals.
If you own an iPhone, you can pair/tether your iPad to an iPhone, essentially making an iPad a remote device to an iPhone.
You can send messages and nake phone calls from an iPad to an iPhone
Tap these links below.
Make and receive phone calls on iPad - Apple Support
Set up Messages on iPad - Apple Support
What is the difference between iMessage and SMS/MMS? - Apple Support
Best of Luck to You!
Do you have an iPhone - or just an iPad?
An iPad, whether a Cellular model or not, is not capable of directly accessing Cellular Voice or SMS/MMS Messaging features. An iPad with either WiFi or Cellular connectivity alone can only access IP-data services. If you have added a DataSIM and Cellular plan to a WiFi+Cellular model of iPad, the number associated with the SIM card is only used to identify your account for billing purposes. This number is not used for making calls or sending messages.
However, when paired with an iPhone, the capabilities of iPad significantly broaden to include access to Cellular Voice and Messaging services of the associated iPhone - relayed to the iPad over WiFi using Apple’s continuity features.
More information about Continuity and the relevant Cellular services can be found here:
Continuity
Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and Apple Watch – Apple Support
SMS/MMS Messaging
WiFi Calling
Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling – Apple Support
If you have an iPhone - and both iPad and iPhone are signed-in to iCloud with the same AppleID - to send SMS/MMS messages (green bubbles) from your iPad you must explicitly enable Text Message Forwarding for your iPad on your iPhone...
On your iPhone:
Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding - set to ON - and explicitly enable your iPad from the list of devices.
Also ensure that Messages in iCloud is enabled on both your iPhone and iPad:
Settings > [Your Name / AppleID] > Messages - set to ON
Ipad 8th generation
