Sonus Networks

What Sonus Networks does

Ribbon Communications (NASDAQ: RBNN) is the operating entity that resulted from the 2017 combination of Sonus Networks with ECI Telecom assets, headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts. The company delivers IP optical networking and secure cloud communications to service providers, enterprises, critical infrastructure operators (rail and utilities), and government/defense customers across 140 countries through 61 global offices and a 3,100-person workforce. Its portfolio spans session border controllers (SBCs) available in cloud-native, virtual, and appliance form factors; the Apollo optical networking family (9400 high-density, 9600 modular, 9900 OTN switching); the IP routing and packet transport line powered by Ribbon IP rNOS, including the NPT 2714 aggregation router (7.2Tbps to 14.4Tbps upgradeable); and supporting call controllers, media gateways, identity assurance (STI/Call Trust), and signaling products.

Ribbon's underlying technology architecture unifies IP/MPLS and optical layers through the Muse Multilayer Automation Platform and layers AI-driven operational automation via the Ribbon Acumen AIOps platform, addressing multi-vendor network management, TDM-to-IP migration, 5G xHAUL, and cloud-native IMS deployments. Products such as SBC Cloud Native Edition (SBC CNe), Cloud-Native IMS, and PSX policy and routing are delivered as software or subscription services and are listed on AWS Marketplace, with Microsoft Teams Direct Routing and Salesforce Agentforce Contact Center integrations extending the company's reach into unified communications and contact-center workloads.

Ribbon generates revenue across four streams: hardware and software licensing (one-time and subscription), subscription and cloud services (including AWS Marketplace listings), professional services (Metaswitch migrations, network transformation), and recurring support and maintenance. Pricing is quote-based with multi-year enterprise contracts, and go-to-market combines direct enterprise field sales, a global partner program of resellers and integrators, and cloud marketplace listings. Named customers include Verizon, MTN, Bharti Airtel, Vivo (Telefonica), Brightspeed, Optimum, Salesforce, US Military, American Electric Power, and Vibrant Broadband. Disclosed 2025 revenue is $845M, supported by 1,102 patents and certifications including ISO 9001 and BABA.

Name

Sonus Networks

Legal name

Ribbon Communications Operating Company, Inc.

Website

https://sonus.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Ribbon Communications (NASDAQ: RBNN), successor to Sonus Networks, provides IP optical networking and secure cloud communications — including SBCs, optical transport, IP routing, and AIOps — to telecom service providers, enterprises, and government/defense customers across 140 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Real-Time Communications Infrastructure

NAICS

Other Communications Equipment Manufacturing (33429), Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing (33421), Telephone Apparatus Manufacturing (334210)

SIC

Computer Communications Equipment (3576), Communications Equipment, Nec (3669), Telephone & Telegraph Apparatus (3661)

akta.pro primary industry

Data, Communications & Fiber Optic Cable (IMADAMAD)

Keywords

• Session border controllers
• IP communications
• Network routing
• Optical networking
• Real-time communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Westford

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Hardware and Software Licensing: Ribbon generates revenue through sale of network equipment including routers, optical systems, media gateways, session border controllers, and related software licenses. Products are sold as perpetual licenses or subscription-based models.
2. Subscription and Cloud Services: Cloud-native solutions offered through public/private cloud with subscription-based pricing. Solutions available on AWS Marketplace.
3. Professional Services: Implementation, deployment, migration, and consulting services including Metaswitch migrations, network transformation, and technical expertise services.
4. Support and Maintenance Services: Ongoing technical support, maintenance, and software updates through the Ribbon Support Portal and maintenance contracts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Ribbon Communications (formerly Sonus Networks) designs, develops, and sells real-time communications software, hardware, and network solutions including session border controllers (SBCs), IP routers, optical networking equipment, and cloud-based communications platforms. The company serves telecom service providers, enterprises, and government/defense customers with solutions for secure IP-based voice, video, and data communications across 140 countries.

Product overview

Ribbon Communications offers a comprehensive portfolio of network solutions organized across service provider and enterprise segments. The product architecture combines a multilayer approach with IP routing and packet transport, optical networking (Apollo platform), and secure cloud communications. Key platforms include the Muse Multilayer Automation Platform for IP/optical layer unification, Ribbon Acumen for AIOps and network automation, and the Session Border Controller family available as cloud-native, virtual, and appliance variants. The portfolio includes call controllers (C3/C15/C20), media gateways (G5/G6/G9/GSX), identity assurance solutions, Cloud-Native IMS, policy and routing (PSX), SS7/Diameter signaling, and comprehensive analytics. Enterprise offerings include edge SBCs (1000/2000/5400/7000/8000 family), EdgeMarc gateways, and UC platforms. All products share a unified approach to network security, automation, and multi-vendor interoperability.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ribbon Acumen: AIOps and automation platform for network operations, leveraging AI for deployment automation and operational insights.
• Apollo Optical Networking
• Muse Multilayer Automation Platform
• Ribbon IP rNOS
• EdgeMarc

Products and services

• Session Border Controllers (SBCs)

Quantifiable outcome

• Network operational cost reduction through AI-driven automation with Ribbon Acumen
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Ribbon and AWS partnership enables transformation of cloud deployment for service providers and enterprises. Ribbon's cloud-native solutions are available on AWS Marketplace, delivering secure session control and centralized management for communications services.
• SalesforcecoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2024Ribbon's cloud native technology partners with Salesforce Agentforce Contact Center in the public cloud. Integrated solution provides secure session control and centralized management for contact center operations.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationRibbon provides Microsoft Teams direct routing solutions enabling enterprises to securely connect Teams to the rest of the world. SBCs allow secure business calls outside the organization.
• Technology PartnerssupportingTechnology or IntegrationRibbon maintains technology partnership programs including industry organizations, technology partners, and strategic alliance partners for interoperability and integration.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nokia: Nokia's Network Infrastructure group directly overlaps with Ribbon's IP Routing and Apollo Optical Networking lines, targeting the same service provider optical and IP aggregation opportunities including 400G and 5G transport.
• Oracle (Acme Packet): Oracle's Acme Packet SBC is the most direct SBC competitor to Ribbon's session border controller portfolio, going head-to-head on enterprise and service provider session-control deals.
• Ericsson: Ericsson competes with Ribbon in IP routing, optical transport, and cloud-native IMS for service providers, particularly as 5G core and cloud communications deployments scale.
• Cisco Systems: Cisco is a broad incumbent in IP routing, optical networking, and collaboration, competing head-on with Ribbon across NPT-class aggregation routing, optical transport, and enterprise SBC via Cisco's voice and collaboration portfolio.
• Fortinet: Fortinet is a broad incumbent in network security, increasingly overlapping with Ribbon's SBC, Voice Threat Prevention, and Identity Assurance security offerings in enterprise and service-provider deployments.
• ADTRAN: ADTRAN competes with Ribbon in service-provider IP routing, broadband aggregation, and optical transport for tier-2/tier-3 operators and rural service providers — segments where Ribbon also serves Brightspeed and Vibrant Broadband.

Direct peers

• AudioCodes: AudioCodes is a direct peer in enterprise and service-provider SBCs, SIP trunking, and Microsoft Teams Direct Routing — overlapping with Ribbon's SBC 1000/2000/5400/7000/Edge 8000 family and Teams integrations.
• Mavenir: Mavenir is a direct peer in cloud-native telecom software, competing with Ribbon's Cloud-Native IMS, SBC CNe, and Policy/Routing offerings as operators transition workloads to virtualized and containerized stacks.
• Juniper Networks (HPE): Juniper is a direct peer in IP routing and packet transport, competing for service-provider edge and aggregation router deals; following HPE's acquisition, the combined entity competes with Ribbon across the same operator RFPs.
• Ekinops: Ekinops is a direct peer in optical transport (DWDM/OTN) and aggregation routing, competing with Ribbon's Apollo optical platform and IP aggregation routers in mid-sized operator and enterprise DCI deals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/sonusnet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ribboncommunications
• Facebookfacebook.com/Sonusnet
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ribbon-communications
• Instagraminstagram.com/ribboncomm

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors11 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A9 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sonus Networks