QuickLinks -- Click here to rapidly navigate through this document

EXHIBIT 10.1

SUMMARY OF 2004 EXECUTIVE BONUS PLAN

        On January 16, 2004, the Compensation Committee of the Board of
Directors of Sonus Networks, Inc. (the "Company") approved a bonus program for
fiscal year 2004 for executive officers and employees, including certain
executive officers of the Company reporting under Section 16(a) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Under the program, any bonus to the Chief
Executive Officer is awarded at the discretion of the Compensation Committee and
any bonuses to other executive officers and employees are awarded at the
discretion of the Chief Executive Officer and Compensation Committee. The bonus
awards are based on the Company's achieving certain revenue and operating profit
targets for fiscal year 2004 as well as individual performance objectives. The
target bonus amounts for each eligible executive officer is set forth below:

Name

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Title

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  Target Incentive

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hassan Ahmed
 
Chief Executive Officer
 
$
236,000
Steve Edwards
 
Chief Marketing Officer
 
 
147,000
Rubin Gruber
 
Chairman Emeritus of the Board of Directors
 
 
88,000
Bradley Miller
 
Chief Accounting Officer
 
 
51,250

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

QuickLinks

EXHIBIT 10.1