ResultsofinelasticneutronscatteringexperinientsandabinitiomoleculardynamicssimulationsforGeTe一theparentcompoundofphase-changematerialsarereported.TheinelasticneutronspectraofGeTepowdersampleshavebeendeterminedinthetemperaturerangeextendingfrom300to700K.Thephononpeaksundergothermalshiftsresultingfromanharmoniceffectsbeingweakerforacousticthanopticmodes.AsmallconcentrationoffreechargecarriesarisingfromthepresenceofGe-vacancieswasfoundnottoaffectsignificantlytheneutronweightedphonondensitiesofstatesofGeTe.Thespectralpatternchangesqualitativelyacrossthestructuralphasetransition,butthelocalstructureofGeTeremainshardlyaffected,asconfirmedbytheanalysisoftemperaturedependenceofthepairdistributionfunctionobtainedfromabinitiomoleculardynamicsinvestigations.Thepresenttheoreticalstudiessupportinawideextentourexperimentalobservationsandalsothoseprovidedbylocalprobemethods.