Next-generation communications leader to be led by industry veteran

Sonus Networks, Inc. appointed Richard N. Nottenburg, PhD as the company’s next president and chief executive officer, succeeding Hassan Ahmed. Nottenburg will join the company in mid-June, reporting to the Board of Directors.

“Rich is someone I have known for several years and I am very pleased to welcome him to Sonus. The Board and I considered many extraordinary candidates from some of the world’s most respected companies as part of our succession planning. Rich is a truly unique leader with strong relationships with many of the world’s top operators. He worked closely with senior executives from operators across the globe during his tenure at Motorola,” said Hassan Ahmed, chairman, president and CEO, Sonus Networks. “Rich’s strong focus on customers along with his strategic sense and business acumen make him the right leader to profitability grow Sonus into the next decade. I look forward to working with Rich in this next phase of our partnership to advance Sonus’ position in the industry.”

As executive vice president and chief strategy and technology officer for Motorola, Inc., (NYSE: MOT), Nottenburg was responsible for shaping Motorola’s overall corporate strategy and technology agenda. During his tenure at Motorola, Nottenburg oversaw acquisitions, divestitures, venture investments, business intelligence, and played a major role in new initiatives centered on broadband and Fourth-Generation (4G) wireless, fiber-to-the home and next-generation video.

Prior to joining Motorola in 2004, Nottenburg was vice president and general manager of Vitesse Semiconductor Corporation, (NASDAQ: VTSS), after its merger in 2003 with Multilink Technology Corporation. Multilink is a publicly traded provider of advanced mixed-signal and VLSI solutions for optical networks. Nottenburg was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Multilink. Nottenburg was also influential at industry leader AT&T Bell Laboratories and is listed as a Lucent pioneer of the 1980s.

Nottenburg earned three degrees in electrical engineering: a doctorate from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne in Lausanne, Switzerland; a master’s degree from Colorado State University; and a bachelor’s degree from Polytechnic Institute of New York. He serves on the Board of Directors of Comverse Technology, (Pink Sheets: CMVT.PK), and on the Institutional Advisory Board of Carmel Ventures, one of Israel’s top-tier venture capital funds.

“Joining Sonus Networks is an honor and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead a company that is changing the way people communicate around the globe. The potential for Sonus is clear and I am excited to lead this remarkable company into its next phase of growth,” said Nottenburg. “Hassan is an extraordinary mind who led the beginning of a profound change in the communications paradigm. We are the beneficiaries of his incredible breadth of industry knowledge and deep commitment to nurturing Sonus’ growth. I value Hassan’s guidance and experience and know that we will continue to build on the strong foundation he and the Sonus team have established.”

Over the last decade, Hassan Ahmed has grown the company to annual revenues of more than $300 million. Sonus is now widely regarded by industry analysts as the world’s leader in carrier-grade IP voice communications and counts each of the world’s five largest operators as Sonus customers. Under his leadership, revenues have grown at a compound average rate of over 36% in the last five years. Ahmed will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sonus Networks and additionally serves on the Board of Directors of Airvana, Inc. (NASDAQ: AIRV). He is also on the Board of Overseers of the Boston Museum of Science and the advisory committee of the Lahore University of Management Sciences as part of his dedication to education around the world.

“The last ten years at Sonus have been an exciting and remarkable period. We embarked on a mission to change communications networks globally and I am confident that at this point in Sonus’ life there is no question that will happen. Forging a path to achieve that potential has been a rewarding experience for me, both personally and professionally. Rich’s leadership and vision for Sonus ensures Sonus will continue on that path and I am pleased to be a part of its next decade,” concluded Ahmed.

About Sonus Networks

Sonus Networks, Inc., (Nasdaq: SONS), is a market leader in IP communications infrastructure solutions for wireline and wireless service providers. With its comprehensive IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) solution, Sonus addresses the full range of carrier applications, including residential and business voice services, wireless voice and multimedia, trunking and tandem switching, carrier interconnection, and enhanced services. Sonus’ voice infrastructure solutions are deployed in service provider networks worldwide. Founded in 1997, Sonus is headquartered in Westford, Massachusetts.

For more information, please visit their website: http://www.sonusnet.com