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):  JULY 31, 1997
  
                       ----------------------------------
  
                           ASCEND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
          DELAWARE                0-23774                 94-3092033
       (State or other    (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer 
       jurisdiction of                                Identification No.) 
       incorporation or 
        organization)
  
  
  
  
  
              ONE ASCEND PLAZA
           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)
  
                                         1
  <PAGE>
   
  ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS
  
          For the 31-day period ended July 31, 1997, Ascend Communications, Inc. a
  Delaware corporation, had consolidated net income of approximately $2.9 million
  and consolidated sales of approximately $62.8 million.
  
                                         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.
  
  
  
  August 8, 1997                    By:  /s/ Robert K. Dahl
                                         --------------------
                                         Robert K. Dahl,
                                         Vice President, Finance and
                                         Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 2270}]
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": "97654909"}, "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):  JULY 31, 1997
  
                       ----------------------------------
  
                           ASCEND COMMUNICATIONS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
          DELAWARE                0-23774                 94-3092033
       (State or other    (Commission File Number)     (I.R.S. Employer 
       jurisdiction of                                Identification No.) 
       incorporation or 
        organization)
  
              ONE ASCEND PLAZA
           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)
  
                                         1
  ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS
  
          For the 31-day period ended July 31, 1997, Ascend Communications, Inc. a
  Delaware corporation, had consolidated net income of approximately $2.9 million
  and consolidated sales of approximately $62.8 million.
  
                                         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.
  
  August 8, 1997                    By:  /s/ Robert K. Dahl
                                         --------------------
                                         Robert K. Dahl,
                                         Vice President, Finance and
                                         Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         3