Sonus Networks

Sonus Networks, Inc. operated as a key supplier of secure and intelligent cloud communications technologies before its strategic transformation. The company was founded in August 1997 by Michael G. Hluchyj, Rubin Gruber, Jay Pasco-Anderson, Karl Schwiegershausen, and Tony Risica. Positioned at the forefront of the shift to IP-based communications, Sonus went public on May 31, 2000, raising over $100 million in its initial public offering and listing on Nasdaq under the symbol SONS.

The company's business model focused on providing software, hardware, and services that enabled the transition from traditional to next-generation networks for service providers and enterprises. Sonus generated revenue by selling a comprehensive portfolio of products, including session border controllers (SBCs), media gateways, policy and routing servers, and diameter signaling controllers. These products were crucial for managing and securing real-time communications such as VoIP, video, and unified communications. The client base included major telecommunications operators like Verizon and AT&T, as well as large enterprises across various sectors.

Sonus's product suite was designed to help operators and businesses migrate to IP-based architectures, reduce costs, and introduce new multimedia services. Its SBCs, a core part of the portfolio, provided robust security and interoperability for SIP-based communications, enabling enterprises to leverage SIP trunking and unify different communication systems. Over the years, Sonus expanded its capabilities through strategic acquisitions, including Telecom Technologies, Inc. in 2001 for its softswitch technology, Network Equipment Technologies in 2012, and Taqua in 2016 to enhance its mobile communications offerings, specifically VoLTE and VoWiFi technology. In a significant market event, Sonus Networks merged with GENBAND in a merger of equals, officially completed on October 27, 2017. Following this transaction, the combined entity began conducting business as Ribbon Communications, with the stock ticker changing from SONS to RBBN. This merger created a more powerful player in the real-time communications and security solutions market, combining Sonus's expertise in cloud-based SIP and 4G/VoLTE with GENBAND's network modernization and unified communications solutions.

Keywords: Sonus Networks, Ribbon Communications, session border controller, SBC, Voice over IP, VoIP, SIP trunking, cloud communications, real-time communications, telecom infrastructure, media gateway, GENBAND merger, network transformation, unified communications, VoLTE, VoWiFi, IP networking, telecom security, Michael Hluchyj, Rubin Gruber, network modernization, diameter signaling, policy server, softswitch