| Name | G+M “Gettone + Moneta” |
| Date | 1982 |
| Manufacturer | Italy’s national telephone operator, SIP (Società Italiana per l’Esercizio Telefonico), |
Above- wall mounted G+M “Gettone + Moneta””
Development of the G+M “Gettone + Moneta” Italian payphone
The G+M (Gettone + Moneta) was the second major generation of modern Italian public payphone, introduced by SIP in the early 1980s as a successor to the widely used U+I model. Its name, meaning “Token + Coin,” reflected one of its most important features: the ability to accept both Italy’s traditional gettoni telefonici (telephone tokens) and ordinary coins.
The G+M was developed during a period of rapid technological change in telecommunications. While maintaining compatibility with the token system that millions of Italians were familiar with, it also prepared the network for the increasing use of coin payments and future electronic charging systems. The telephone incorporated more advanced electronics than the U+I, improving call management, charging accuracy and operational reliability.
Designed for installation in streets, railway stations, airports and public buildings, the G+M featured a rugged metal construction capable of withstanding heavy public use. Its modernised appearance reflected the changing design language of the 1980s while retaining the durability required for outdoor service.
The G+M remained widespread throughout Italy during the first half of the 1980s before gradually being replaced by the more sophisticated electronic Rotor payphone. Although its period of dominance was relatively brief, the G+M represented an important transitional step between the classic token-operated era and the fully electronic public telephones that followed, marking a significant chapter in the history of Italian telecommunications.
Above- G+M “Gettone + Moneta”
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