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
  
  
                           Cascade Communications Corp.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
  
            Delaware                      0-24578              04-3099677
  -------------------------------        ------------       ------------------
  (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer 
   Incorporation or Organization)        File Number)       Identification No.)  
  
  
  5 Carlisle Road
  Westford, Massachusetts                                          01886
  ---------------------------------------                          -----
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)
  
  
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (508) 692-2600
                                                             --------------
  
  
           Total number of sequentially numbered pages in this filing, 
                          including exhibits thereto: __
                         Exhibit Index Located on Page __
  <PAGE>
   
  Item 5. Other Events.
  
          On March 30, 1997, Cascade Communications Corp. ("Cascade") and Ascend
  Communications, Inc. ("Ascend") 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.   Cascade shall survive the merger
  and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascend.   A copy of the press release is
  attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
                     ------------ 
  
   
  
                                         2
  <PAGE>
   
  Item 7. Financial Statements and 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.
  
                                         3
  <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.
  
  
                                         CASCADE COMMUNICATIONS CORP.
                                         (Registrant)
  
    
  
  Date:  April 8, 1997                   By:   /s/ Paul E. Blondin
                                             ----------------------
                                             Paul E. Blondin
                                             Vice President Finance and 
                                             Administration,
                                             Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         4
  <PAGE>
   
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
                                   -------------
                                          
  
                                                                  Page Number in 
                                                                   Sequentially 
  Exhibit No.                     Description                      Numbered Copy
  -----------                     -----------                     --------------  
  99.1             Press Release dated March 30, 1997.
metadata_documents: [{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3828}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "CASCADE COMMUNICATIONS CORP", "cik": "0000887763", "assigned-sic": "3576", "irs-number": "043099677", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "000-24578", "film-number": "97576636"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5 CARLISLE RD", "city": "WESTFORD", "state": "MA", "zip": "01886", "phone": "8006922401"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5 CARLISLE ROAD", "city": "WESTORD", "state": "MA", "zip": "01886"}}
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
  
                           Cascade Communications Corp.
  --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
              (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
  
            Delaware                      0-24578              04-3099677
  -------------------------------        ------------       ------------------
  (State or Other Jurisdiction of        (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer 
   Incorporation or Organization)        File Number)       Identification No.)  
  
  5 Carlisle Road
  Westford, Massachusetts                                          01886
  ---------------------------------------                          -----
  (Address of Principal Executive Offices)                       (Zip Code)
  
        Registrant's telephone number, including area code:  (508) 692-2600
                                                             --------------
  
           Total number of sequentially numbered pages in this filing, 
                          including exhibits thereto: __
                         Exhibit Index Located on Page __
  Item 5. Other Events.
  
          On March 30, 1997, Cascade Communications Corp. ("Cascade") and Ascend
  Communications, Inc. ("Ascend") 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.   Cascade shall survive the merger
  and become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ascend.   A copy of the press release is
  attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.
                     ------------ 
  
   
  
                                         2
  Item 7. Financial Statements and 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.
  
                                         3
  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.
  
                                         CASCADE COMMUNICATIONS CORP.
                                         (Registrant)
  
    
  
  Date:  April 8, 1997                   By:   /s/ Paul E. Blondin
                                             ----------------------
                                             Paul E. Blondin
                                             Vice President Finance and 
                                             Administration,
                                             Chief Financial Officer
  
                                         4
  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                   -------------
                                          
  
                                                                  Page Number in 
                                                                   Sequentially 
  Exhibit No.                     Description                      Numbered Copy
  -----------                     -----------                     --------------  
  99.1             Press Release dated March 30, 1997.