Is it possible to restore data on this phone lost sim card and messages from my late mother

If you have backed up your contacts somewhere like Gmail, you can directly recover your contacts from the backup. However, if you don't have done this before, you may probably need a third-party software to recover contacts from Android.My friends recommend Jihosoft Android Phone Recovery
This article may also help you- How to Recover Deleted Contacts on Android

Many Mobile Telephones give an option to record personal numbers etc. into the phone memory or onto the SIM card. The SIM card often has more memory and this should be the chosen option. If you remove your SIM you should be able to access the telephone memory and see what is in it. Delete all the personal information, there should not be much on it. If you find that all your personal data is saved to the telephone, you should be able to save the information to the SIM, then remove the SIM and delete the data on the phone. If you are keeping the same number and same SIM, then your personal data will be available on your new phone. If you are changing your service provider and getting a new phone, by putting your old SIM into the new phone you can transfer the SIM data to the new phone and then onto the new SIM. After you should destroy the old SIM by cutting it up through the Electronic Chip. If you have to send it back send it in pieces.
The more modern android type phone will have an option to connect with a PC to recover your data. Alternatively, you might be able to email the data to yourself. After which you will need to either delete all personal stuff if you don't have a memory card in the phone. If you have a memory card just remove it and install it into your new phone, all your data should be there.

Bob.

According to Samsung's website, the device is only available on US Cellular/ Alltel. Making this device a CDMA only phone.
There is no sim card in this device.
http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones/SCH-U440ZWAUSC

Hi,
Please see below instruction in unlocking your phone. Call first your service provider to get the code. then follow instruction and information below:
Get your IMEI Number by:typing *#06# and hitting enter.
How To Unlock Samsung Strive A687 (SIM Unlock)
1. Power on your Samsung mobile phone with the UNACCEPTED SIM card inserted. 2. Your Samsung phone will prompt for a password (unlock code). 3. Now enter your Samsung unlock code.
Otherwise, if your Samsung mobile phone displays "Insert Correct SIM Card" then:
1. Turn on your Samsung phone with an UNACCEPTED SIM card inserted. 2 - Type: #0111*CODE# (Where CODE is your Samsung unlock code).

No, Samsung SPH-m540 Rant doesn't have a SIM card.It's a CDMA phone. You'll have to conatct your service provider to activate a CDMA phone.

GT Recovery for Windows download from: www.gtrecovery.net

Can you retrieve deleted text messages on Android? Yeah, this video will show you the full guide for Android text message recovery. Don't hesitate and recover deleted text messages from Android 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 5.0, 5.1 and more versions right now!

Not only can you recover SMS messages from Android backup but also can recover Android SMS messages without backup.

This video is showing you how to recover deleted sms messages on Android without root your phone.

Some common situations that lost text messages you can recover from:
1. accidentally deleted texts on your android phone
2. lost text messages after Android 5.0 updated or other Android upgrade.
3. save text messages from water damaged, crashed, broken or smashed Android phone
4. Android deleted text messages randomly by itself
5. Factory restore Android phone.
And more...

Watch this video and share it with your friends too so that they can also get their precious lost data back.

Not possible

samsung instincts dont have sim cards.

you can download this file recovery program called asoftech data recovery that helped me before. here's more info
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Asoftech-Data-Recovery/290956907592436?sk=info