Can an iPad be used as a phone?

iPads don't connect to the voice channels of the cellular network.

On their own they can not make phone calls or send SMS messages.

If you have an iPhone and your cellular carrier supports wifi calling, you can use the phone to forward text messages and use wifi to make phone calls.

Send and receive text messages on iPad - Apple Support

Make and receive phone calls on iPad - Apple Support

cfi669 wrote:

My wife is losing her eyesight and it is easier for her to use her Ipad rather than her phone to access facebook, internet, etc. Can an eye pad be used as a phone?

An iPad, whether a Cellular model or not, is not capable of directly accessing Cellular Voice or Messaging features. An iPad with Cellular connectivity alone can only access IP-data services. An iPad is not, and can never be, a standalone substitute for an iPhone. 

However, If 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. For the most part, an iPad using Continuity is able to access Cellular calling features, of the iPhone, when both the iPad an iPhone are in close physical proximity and are connected to the same WiFi network - but this is not the end of the story.

Now, if your both your Cellular Carrier and your calling plan support WiFi Calling, your iPad can make and receive calls independently of the iPhone - even when the iPhone is switched off, elsewhere, or using a different WiFi network. Not all carriers support full WiFi calling.

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

How to forward SMS/MMS text messages from your iPhone to your iPad, iPod touch or Mac - Apple Support

WiFi Calling

Make a call with Wi-Fi Calling – Apple Support

When correctly configured, the iPad FaceTime App provides access to Cellular Voice Calling features - whilst Messages supports SMS/MMS messaging services.

So, in conclusion, if your own Cellular Carrier and tariff support WiFi Calling, it is theoretically possible to configure WiFi Calling service for your iPad. After WiFi Calling is enabled and configured, your iPad can continue to make and receive cellular calls independently of your iPhone whilst connected to a WiFi network.

I hope this information and clarification is helpful in understanding the capabilities of both your iPad - and if you have one, your iPhone.

Not directly, it needs to use a phone cellular connection. Learn more about how to make calls from an iPad: https://support.apple.com/guide/ipad/make-and-receive-phone-calls-ipadf97892b2/ipados