Previous studies of the optical absorption bands attributed to the 3A2 + 3T,(F) internal transitions of V3+ ions in Gap, GaAs and InP have shown that a very strong T 8 t 2Jahn-Teller effect is active in the 'T,(F) state. An analysis is presented for the GaP:V3+ system which reconciles the structure of the accompanying zero-phonon line in terms of second-order Jahn-Teller spin-orbit coupling contributions, with the strength of the coupling deduced from the properties of the band. In the cases of GaAs: V3+ and InP : V3+, it is proposed that strong coupling to e modes is also present. Relative energy J=I (T,l, J -2 ( E ) J 3 1 (TI) 30 -3 6 o -3 6 -f~ J . 2 ( E l 3101 J = 2 (Tzl J = 2 IT2) 3a -3b -$c I a t J = 0 (A,) J = 0 ( A , )