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                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

          ------------------------------------------------------------

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 August 8, 2002

                DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED)

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                              SONUS NETWORKS, INC.
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)




    DELAWARE                         000-30229                   04-3387074
  -----------                        ---------                   ----------
(State or Other Jurisdiction    (Commission File Number)       (IRS Employer
  of Incorporation)                                          Identification No.)


                 5 CARLISLE ROAD, WESTFORD, MASSACHUSETTS 01886
               (Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

                                 (978) 692-8999
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

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ITEM 5. OTHER EVENTS.

         A copy of Sonus' press release, dated August 8, 2002, announcing the
reduction of its worldwide workforce, is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and
incorporated by reference herein.

         The press release filed as an exhibit to this report includes "safe
harbor" language pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of
1995, as amended, indicating that certain statements about Sonus' business
contained in the press release are "forward-looking" rather than "historic." The
press release also states that these and other risks relating to Sonus' business
are set forth in the documents filed by Sonus with the Securities and Exchange
Commission.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS

(c) EXHIBIT

99.1     Press release dated August 8, 2002 announcing the reduction of Sonus'
         worldwide workforce.



SIGNATURE

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

Date: August 9, 2002             SONUS NETWORKS, INC.
                                 By:
                                    /s/ Stephen J. Nill
                                    -------------------
                                    Stephen J. Nill
                                    Chief Financial Officer, Vice President of
                                    Finance and Administration and Treasurer
                                    (Principal Financial and Accounting Officer)



                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, please contact:

Investor Relations:                             Media Relations:
Jocelyn Lynds                                   Beth Morrissey
978-589-8672                                    978-589-8579
jlynds@sonusnet.com                             bmorrissey@sonusnet.com

                 SONUS NETWORKS ANNOUNCES REDUCTION IN WORKFORCE

WESTFORD, MASS., AUGUST 8, 2002 - Sonus Networks (Nasdaq: SONS) today announced
that as part of its ongoing cost reduction initiatives in the currently
challenging telecommunications environment, the Company is reducing its
worldwide workforce, presently 492 employees, by approximately 85 personnel or
17%.

In connection with the workforce reduction, the Company expects to record a
restructuring charge of approximately $3 million in Q3 FY2002, primarily
representing severance expenses and charges associated with excess facilities.

"While these workforce reductions are difficult for all involved, today's
actions reflect one of our key priorities - preserving the financial strength of
our business," said Hassan Ahmed, president and CEO, Sonus Networks. "We remain
committed to delivering technologies and solutions that lead the industry,
broadening our customer base, and providing our customers with unmatched service
and support."

CONFERENCE CALL INFORMATION

Sonus Networks will host a conference call and webcast for investors on
Thursday, August 8, beginning at 4:45 pm EDT. Sonus' president and CEO Hassan
Ahmed and CFO Steve Nill will provide brief comments on today's news, followed
by an opportunity for investors to ask questions. To listen via telephone,
please call 1-800-774-8574 or 1-212-896-6100. To listen via the Internet, visit
the Sonus Networks Investor Site at http://www.sonusnet.com/investor.cfm.

A telephone playback of the call will be available following the conference and
can be accessed by calling 1-800-633-8284 or 1-402-977-9140. The reservation
number for the replay is 20816147. The telephone playback will be available
through Thursday, August 22, 2002. The webcast will be available on the Sonus
Networks Investor Relations site through Thursday, August 22, 2002. To access
the replay of the webcast, visit http://www.sonusnet.com/investor.cfm.

                                   -- more --



ABOUT SONUS NETWORKS

Sonus Networks, Inc., is a leading provider of packet voice infrastructure
products for the new public network. With its Open Services Architecture(TM)
(OSA), Sonus delivers end-to-end solutions addressing a full range of carrier
applications, including trunking, residential access and Centrex, tandem
switching, and IP voice termination, as well as enhanced services. Sonus'
award-winning voice infrastructure solutions, including media gateways,
softswitches and network management systems, are deployed in service provider
networks worldwide. Sonus, founded in 1997, is headquartered in Westford,
Massachusetts. Additional information on Sonus is available at
http://www.sonusnet.com.

This release may contain projections or other forward-looking statements
regarding future events or the future financial performance of Sonus that
involve risks and uncertainties. Readers are cautioned that these
forward-looking statements are only predictions and may differ materially from
actual future events or results. Readers are referred to Sonus' Quarterly Report
on Form 10-Q, dated May 10, 2002 and filed with the SEC, which identifies
important risk factors that could cause actual results to differ from those
contained in the forward-looking statements. These risk factors include, among
others, the adverse effect of recent developments in the telecommunications
industry, the weakened financial position of many emerging service providers,
Sonus' ability to grow its customer base, dependence on new product offerings,
market acceptance of its products, rapid technological and market change and
manufacturing and sourcing risks.

                                      # # #

OPEN SERVICES ARCHITECTURE IS A TRADEMARK OF SONUS NETWORKS. ALL OTHER
TRADEMARKS, SERVICE MARKS, REGISTERED TRADEMARKS, OR REGISTERED SERVICE MARKS
ARE THE PROPERTY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OWNERS.