How do I load prepaid airtime on ipad mini if it doesn't support SMS?

Can you provide a little more cogent explanation if what you are trying to do? Your post doesn't make much sense. Are you dealing with an iPad or an iPhone. Who provided the sim and what is the carriers instructions on activating the service? What does SMS have to do with it (but you are correct, iOS does NOT handle SMS on an iPad)?

So you are trying to use a sim that needed to be activated on the iPad, but requires a step the iPad cannot perform. and one that doesn't fit the iPhone without an adapter, and you failed to address either before being in a situation where the carrier cannot be contacted and the needed equipement is not available. Yeah I get it. Sounds like you could be SOL.

If you have access to a wireless connection (or perhaps using the phone has a hotspot) you can try downloading an over IP texting app like Text+. you willneed to set up an account, but it doesn't take long.

BTW: the reason iOS on an iPad doesn't handle SMS, is because SMS is a carrier service via the telelophony function, not data. The iPad isn't a cell phone.

You might get more assistance and replies on this if you lose the attitude. Good luck

I think OP is trying to top up his pre-paid SIM card on his iPad Mini without an iPhone.

Yeah. The account (if I remember correctly) is based on on a TEXT+ provided ID, at least for sending purposes. Have you tried reaching out to the carrier you obtained the SIM from? Looks to be your only recourse at this point.

all prepaid sim services in the country I live is support more then sms to add money

mostly I use my carriers website where I can add by creditcard

Sorry I have to agree with the OP on this. I would have thought the folks in Cupertino would have traveled beyond their neighborhood. To my dismay I see this is clearly not the case. I know we americans think we are the center of the universe and it all ends at our shores but this is not the case and the earth does go around the sun. In most places I travel which are many save Europe or the US they use scratch off cards or credit bought in a store with a PIN that has to be entered VIA a keypad and sent by SMS. I am not a techie and I just want my stuff to work if I would have had any idea Apple was so far behind the ball on this one I'd have stuck with an android. My fault for not doing the research before I bought but it never in my wildest dreams occurred to me that apple would make something with a SIM card and no practical way to load it. That's just dumber than a box of rocks.

Hello,

Same problem to me, my provider requires sending a SMS from the Sim to a short number in their network to activate their data bundle after purchase, idem to check volume remaining...

Of Course Ipad is not a phone but well a cellular device (we don't ask to make phone calls ! ), we paid more than a wifi model for this ... SMS is not a voice service but Data.

The Ipad is absolutely capable to Handle SMS ! Nothing about hardware reasons as you try to explain... (Some tweaks with jailbreak unlock this feature !)

I absolutely don't understand why apple locks this capability ? Never mind Apple, i have also purchased an Iphone 6 device and this will not have impact of iphone sells ... it will juste give satisfaction to expensif Cellular Ipad users ...

I paid 1199 euros for Ipad Pro 9.7 256GB cellular and i need to swap sim card into my Iphone 6 to be able to reload data bundle on my prepaid card. It's a shame ! i can't check the data remaining whenever i want because this requires also sending an SMS ! I have no choice for another operator, because in my country it is the only one the offers roaming to european countries for free !

You will probably also comment my attitude, but frustration don't helps to be happy. We paid for cellular devices and Apple decide to lock operator mandatory cell features ...

I know that i loose my time to explain my frustation but if Apple don't want to listen their customers it helps them to express themselves ....

Vincent.

you are replying to a pretty old thread

if you wish to complain to apple you can use feedback channel http://www.apple.com/feedback/ipad.html

other then that as a workaround I suppose you can pop the sim card in any phone and activate it and then pop it back in the iPad