There's nothing worse for mobile phone users than to realize that they have lost data from the Sim card on their phones. They may, for example, have deleted text messages that they wanted to keep by accident or before they've actually read them. They could also simply have deleted the contacts in their phone book by mistake.

Your Sim card, however, holds a lot more information than this. It also, for example, is home to its own key details including an ID number and an IMISI (International Mobile Service Identity) number amongst other data all of which you may need at some point or other.

The most commonly used option when it comes to recovering data from your Sim card is specially designed software and/or a USB based Sim card reader. This solution works by allowing you to hook your phone up to your computer. The software involved then lists all of your relevant data for you to manage and restore as necessary.

This kind of solution, for example, doesn't just tell you what is currently contained on your Sim card. It can also give you access to stuff (such as text messages) that you have deleted from your phone. So, you can find and restore all kinds of stuff that you may originally have thought was gone forever.

Some solutions here may need you to buy a separate software package and Sim card reader. In some cases it is also possible to buy a stand-alone Sim card USB reader that has software combined with it. Both options tend to offer the same types of solutions in the end.

This kind of data recovery solution also has other advantages that you may find useful. It can, in some cases, allow you to create data back ups and to manage the information that appears on your phone quickly and effectively. You can also use it to set up phone book contacts in many cases which can save time when compared to doing this on your mobile itself.

Some options here will also allow you to set security features on your phone such as fixed number dialing. This makes sure that the Sim is programmed to only call phone numbers that you have pre-selected and approved. This can be useful if you are worried about losing your phone or having it stolen and it can also be handy if you are giving your child a phone but want to restrict their spending/who they call.

Before buying this kind of solution you should put some thought into finding a solution that works. Not every all in one Sim card reader/software solution will work with every model of mobile phone so it is important to make sure that any reader that you use is handset compatible before you buy it.

The software here is less of an issue. All you need to do here is to make sure that you buy a program that will work on your own computer. If the card reader hooks up to your phone OK and works with the software then you'll be up and running virtually instantly.