Why can’t I send regular text messages (to android users) like my old iPad?

Do you have an iPhone? If you do, you use Apple Continuity Settings: How to forward text messages on your iPhone - Apple Support

If you don't have an iPhone you cannot send or receive text messages on iPad from anyone other than iPhone/iPad users.

In order to send SMS messages with your iPad, you would need an iPhone with cellular voice service that you would enable for Text Message Forwarding.

Because you need a iPhone, and use Apple's Continuity feature to send regular text messages to Android users.

If you replaced your iPad and you have an iPhone, follow the directions in the link I provided using Continuity Services for text messages. The iPad and the iPhone MUST be on the same Apple ID.

Split327 wrote:

Had to delete the old iPad. The phone would not connect to two iPads.

My phone is connected to to iPads, no problem.