content: <PAGE>
   
                         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
  
  
         DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):  MARCH 30, 1997
  
                                  --------------
  
                            ASCEND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
           DELAWARE                          0-23774                94-3092033
  (State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer)
   incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)
  
  
       1701 HARBOR BAY PARKWAY                                          94502
         ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA
  (Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)
  
  
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (510) 769-6001
  
                                  Not applicable.
                                  --------------
  
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
  
       On March 30, 1997, Ascend Communications, Inc. ("Ascend") and Cascade
  Communications Corp. ("Cascade") announced in a joint press release that they
  had signed a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which a wholly-owned
  subsidiary of Ascend will merge with and into Cascade. A copy of the press
  release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
                                ------------ 
  
  ITEM 7.  EXHIBITS.
  
            (a)  Financial statements of business acquired.
  
                      Not applicable.
  
            (b)  Pro forma financial information.
  
                      Not applicable.
  
            (c)  Exhibits.
  
  
  Exhibit No.         Description
  -----------         -----------
  
     99.1             Press Release dated March 30, 1997.
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>
   
                                     SIGNATURES
  
  
       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.
  
  
                                        Ascend Communications, Inc.
  
  
  
  April 8, 1997                         By: /s/ MICHAEL J. JOHNSON
                                           -------------------------
                                        Michael J. Johnson,
                                        Controller and
                                        Chief Accounting Officer
  
                                         3
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  
  Exhibit No.         Description
  -----------         -----------
  
   99.1               Press Release dated March 30, 1997.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2951}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ASCEND COMMUNICATIONS INC", "cik": "0000921146", "assigned-sic": "3576", "irs-number": "943092033", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-23774", "film-number": "97576638"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1701 HARBOR BAY PKWY", "city": "ALAMEDA", "state": "CA", "zip": "94502", "phone": "5107696001"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1275 HARBOR BAY PARKWAY", "city": "ALAMEDA", "state": "CA", "zip": "94502"}}
text: 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
  
         DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED):  MARCH 30, 1997
  
                                  --------------
  
                            ASCEND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
           DELAWARE                          0-23774                94-3092033
  (State or other jurisdiction of    (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer)
   incorporation or organization)                              Identification No.)
  
       1701 HARBOR BAY PARKWAY                                          94502
         ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA
  (Address of principal executive offices)                            (Zip Code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (510) 769-6001
  
                                  Not applicable.
                                  --------------
  
           (Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
  ITEM 5.  OTHER EVENTS
  
       On March 30, 1997, Ascend Communications, Inc. ("Ascend") and Cascade
  Communications Corp. ("Cascade") announced in a joint press release that they
  had signed a definitive merger agreement pursuant to which a wholly-owned
  subsidiary of Ascend will merge with and into Cascade. A copy of the press
  release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
                                ------------ 
  
  ITEM 7.  EXHIBITS.
  
            (a)  Financial statements of business acquired.
  
                      Not applicable.
  
            (b)  Pro forma financial information.
  
                      Not applicable.
  
            (c)  Exhibits.
  
  Exhibit No.         Description
  -----------         -----------
  
     99.1             Press Release dated March 30, 1997.
  
                                         2
  SIGNATURES
  
       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.
  
                                        Ascend Communications, Inc.
  
  April 8, 1997                         By: /s/ MICHAEL J. JOHNSON
                                           -------------------------
                                        Michael J. Johnson,
                                        Controller and
                                        Chief Accounting Officer
  
                                         3
  EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.         Description
  -----------         -----------
  
   99.1               Press Release dated March 30, 1997.