What are the options for making phone calls on an iPad?

There's an app called pinger, search for it here. It will enable one to either send SMS's and one can buy minutes for outgoing phone calls. I think there may also be a google voice client but I haven't tried it out yet.

Hello, Well, I don't have an iPad but I certainly can tell you a few options that I use on my devices in being able to make phone calls. Yes, there is Google Voice if you live in the United States that is Free to us. This gives you a real number that people can use to call you and for you to place a call out. You will need the following two apps to make this work. Those are the Google Voice app and the TalkaTone app. This will allow you to make actual calls on your device like your iPad and the iPod Touch. The other option that I have recently found and played with is something called SideCar. I really haven't done a lot of testing with this. This is only a one way call. So once again. If you live in the United States. You are able to place calls but not recieve any calls. Of course, as you mentioned is the Skype. That is a paid subscription just like a few other apps out there. Where you pay based on minutes you make and etc. Not certain if this would help you out or not. So good luck with you. Hopefully, other people may have better ideas and perhaps a better solution for you. HTH

Live in Australia the talkatone doesn't seem to work here unfortunately.

unfortunately pinger not available in australia i may have to move to the us

I apologize but those apps and features that I have mentioned are indeed only for those in the United States. At this time I am unaware of any other apps other than Skype that will allow you to make calls in Australia. So sorry that I don't know of anything more to help you out on this. Yes, the TalkaTone would not work anywhere else but the States. :(

Its been a while since I tried it, but Magic Jack worked with Voice Over for making calls from the iPod, figure it would work with iPad, too.

I use Talkatone as a sort of spare line. If someone is on the house phone, and I don't want to make a call on my restrictive cell phone, I'll fire up Talkatone on my iPod Touch . I have to say that it is suitable for this purpose, but I wouldn't want it as my primary phone. The sound quality is horrid, and calls drop frequently. I have a decent internet connection, and have no issues with Skype or video Facetime connections. But Talkatone sounds like Skype over dial up back in the day. Your mileage may vary.

Magic Jack can work with prepaid credit and has nice large print keypad like apple layout and structure and seems to work in voice over even though they where unaware of this. i will be trying it out thanks for all the posts

text free with voice is another way to turn you're ipad in to a phone and vibor is another app.

magic jack so easy and lovely but tried it and didn't work :( but thank you

sorry i stand corrected !!!! magicjack will work in Australia but you need to buy prepaid works  like international dialling. so thank you thank you very large keyboard but they report not voice over compatible so will need to put a suggestion in on that one. It has good on line support service live discussion.