iPad will not sent a text message to non Apple users shows up in red
what is the problem when you see a name in red when trying to text?
iPad Air 2 Wi-Fi, iOS 11.3.1
Question marked as
Your iPad is not a cellular telephone. It has absolutely no capability to send or receive an SMS text message, which requires a cellular carrier. This is true regardless of whether your iPad has cellular capability.
If you happen to have an iPhone, you may use your iPhone as a handoff device to send/receive SMS text messages. See "SMS and MMS" here. But if you do not do this or do not have an iPhone, your iPad may send or receive iMessages but not SMS messages.
Use Continuity to connect your Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, and Apple Watch - Apple Support