<PAGE>   1
                                                               Exhibit 10.30

                               ACT NETWORKS, INC.
                             STOCK OPTION AGREEMENT



RECITALS

         A.       The Board has adopted the Plan for the purpose of retaining 
the services of selected Employees and consultants and other independent
advisors who provide services to the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary).

         B.       Optionee is to render valuable services to the Corporation (or
a Parent or Subsidiary), and this Agreement is executed pursuant to, and is
intended to carry out the purposes of, the Plan in connection with the
Corporation's grant of an option to Optionee.

         C.       All capitalized terms in this Agreement shall have the meaning
assigned to them in the attached Appendix.

                  NOW, THEREFORE, it is hereby agreed as follows:

                  1.       GRANT OF OPTION. The Corporation hereby grants to 
Optionee, as of the Grant Date, an option to purchase up to the number of Option
Shares specified in the Grant Notice. The Option Shares shall be purchasable
from time to time during the option term specified in Paragraph 2 at the
Exercise Price.

                  2.       OPTION TERM.  This option shall have a term of ten 
(10) years measured from the Grant Date and shall accordingly expire at the
close of business on the Expiration Date, unless sooner terminated in accordance
with Paragraph 5 or 6.

                  3.       LIMITED TRANSFERABILITY. This option shall be neither
transferable nor assignable by Optionee other than by will or by the laws of
descent and distribution following Optionee's death and may be exercised, during
Optionee's lifetime, only by Optionee. However, this option may also, in
connection with the Optionee's estate plan, be assigned in whole or in part
during Optionee's lifetime to one or more members of Optionee's immediate family
or to a trust established exclusively for one or more such family members. The
assigned portion shall be exercisable only by the person or persons who acquire
a proprietary interest in the option pursuant to such assignment. The terms
applicable to the assigned portion shall be the same as those in effect for this
option immediately prior to such assignment and shall be set forth in such
documents issued to the assignee as the Plan Administrator may deem appropriate.
<PAGE>   2
                  4.       DATES OF EXERCISE. This option shall become 
exercisable for the Option Shares in one or more installments as specified in
the Grant Notice. As the option becomes exercisable for such installments, those
installments shall accumulate and the option shall remain exercisable for the
accumulated installments until the Expiration Date or sooner termination of the
option term under Paragraph 5 or 6.

                  5.       CESSATION OF SERVICE.  The option term specified in 
Paragraph 2 shall terminate (and this option shall cease to be outstanding)
prior to the Expiration Date should any of the following provisions become
applicable:

                           (i)   Should Optionee cease to remain in Service for
                  any reason (other than death, Permanent Disability or
                  Misconduct) while this option is outstanding, then Optionee
                  shall have a period of three (3) months (commencing with the
                  date of such cessation of Service) during which to exercise
                  this option, but in no event shall this option be exercisable
                  at any time after the Expiration Date.

                           (ii)  Should Optionee die while this option is
                  outstanding, then the personal representative of Optionee's
                  estate or the person or persons to whom the option is
                  transferred pursuant to Optionee's will or in accordance with
                  the laws of descent and distribution shall have the right to
                  exercise this option. Such right shall lapse and this option
                  shall cease to be outstanding upon the earlier of (A) the
                  expiration of the twelve (12)- month period measured from the
                  date of Optionee's death or (B) the Expiration Date.

                           (iii) Should Optionee cease Service by reason of
                  Permanent Disability while this option is outstanding, then
                  Optionee shall have a period of twelve (12) months (commencing
                  with the date of such cessation of Service) during which to
                  exercise this option. In no event shall this option be
                  exercisable at any time after the Expiration Date.

                           (iv)  Should Optionee's Service be terminated for
                  Misconduct, then this option shall terminate immediately and
                  cease to remain outstanding.

                           (v)   During the limited period of post-Service
                  exercisability, this option may not be exercised in the
                  aggregate for more than the number of vested Option Shares for
                  which the option is exercisable at the time of Optionee's
                  cessation of Service. Upon the expiration of such limited
                  exercise period or (if earlier) upon the Expiration Date, this
                  option shall terminate and cease to be outstanding for any
                  vested Option Shares for which the option has not been
                  exercised. To the extent Optionee is not vested in the Option
                  Shares at the time of Optionee's cessation of Service, this
                  option


                                       2.
<PAGE>   3
                  shall immediately terminate and cease to be outstanding with 
                  respect to those shares.

                           (vi) In the event of a Corporate Transaction, the
                  provisions of Paragraph 6 shall govern the period for which
                  this option is to remain exercisable following Optionee's
                  cessation of Service and shall supersede any provisions to the
                  contrary in this paragraph.

                  6.       SPECIAL ACCELERATION OF OPTION.

                           (a)      In  the event of a Corporate Transaction, 
the exercisability of this option, to the extent outstanding at such time but
not otherwise fully exercisable, shall automatically accelerate so that this
option shall, immediately prior to the effective date of the Corporate
Transaction, become exercisable for any or all of the Option Shares at the time
subject to this option as fully-vested shares of Common Stock. No such
acceleration of this option, however, shall occur if and to the extent: (i) this
option is, in connection with the Corporate Transaction, either to be assumed by
the successor corporation (or parent thereof) or to be replaced with a
comparable option to purchase shares of the capital stock of the successor
corporation (or parent thereof) or (ii) this option is to be replaced with a
cash incentive program of the successor corporation which preserves the spread
existing on the Option Shares for which this option is not exercisable at the
time of the Corporate Transaction (the excess of the Fair Market Value of such
Option Shares over the aggregate Exercise Price payable for such shares) and
provides for subsequent pay-out in accordance with the same exercise schedule in
effect for the option pursuant to the option exercise schedule set forth in the
Grant Notice. The determination of option comparability under clause (i) shall
be made by the Plan Administrator, and such determination shall be final,
binding and conclusive.

                           (b)      Immediately following the Corporate 
Transaction, this option, to the extent not previously exercised, shall
terminate and cease to be outstanding, except to the extent assumed by the
successor corporation (or parent thereof) in connection with the Corporate
Transaction.

                           (c)      If this option is assumed in connection with
a Corporate Transaction, then this option shall be appropriately adjusted,
immediately after such Corporate Transaction, to apply to the number and class
of securities which would have been issuable to Optionee in consummation of such
Corporate Transaction had the option been exercised immediately prior to such
Corporate Transaction, and appropriate adjustments shall also be made to the
Exercise Price, provided the aggregate Exercise Price shall remain the same.

                           (d)      Upon an Involuntary Termination of 
Optionee's Service within eighteen (18) months following a Corporate Transaction
in which this option is assumed or replaced, the exercisability of this option,
to the extent outstanding at such time but not


                                       3.
<PAGE>   4
otherwise fully exercisable, shall automatically accelerate so that this option
shall immediately become fully exercisable for all the Option Shares at the time
subject to this option as fully-vested shares of Common Stock and may be
exercised for any or all of those shares at any time prior to the earlier of (i)
the Expiration Date or (ii) the expiration of the one (1)-year period measured
from the effective date of the Involuntary Termination.

                           (e)      This Agreement shall not in any way affect 
the right of the Corporation to adjust, reclassify, reorganize or otherwise
change its capital or business structure or to merge, consolidate, dissolve,
liquidate or sell or transfer all or any part of its business or assets.

                  7.       ADJUSTMENT IN OPTION SHARES. Should any change be 
made to the Common Stock by reason of any stock split, stock dividend,
recapitalization, combination of shares, exchange of shares or other change
affecting the outstanding Common Stock as a class without the Corporation's
receipt of consideration, appropriate adjustments shall be made to (i) the total
number and/or class of securities subject to this option and (ii) the Exercise
Price in order to reflect such change and thereby preclude a dilution or
enlargement of benefits hereunder.

                  8.       STOCKHOLDER RIGHTS.  The holder of this option shall 
not have any stockholder rights with respect to the Option Shares until such
person shall have exercised the option, paid the Exercise Price and become a
holder of record of the purchased shares.

                  9.       MANNER OF EXERCISING OPTION.

                           (a)      In order to exercise this option with 
respect to all or any part of the Option Shares for which this option is at the
time exercisable, Optionee (or any other person or persons exercising the
option) must take the following actions:

                           (i)  Execute and deliver to the Corporation a Notice
                  of Exercise for the Option Shares for which the option is
                  exercised.

                           (ii) Pay the aggregate Exercise Price for the
                  purchased shares in one or more of the following forms:

                           (A)  cash or check made payable to the Corporation;

                           (B)  a promissory note payable to the Corporation, 
                  but only to the extent authorized by the Plan Administrator in
                  accordance with Paragraph 13;


                                       4.
<PAGE>   5
                           (C)  shares of Common Stock held by Optionee (or any
                  other person or persons exercising the option) for the
                  requisite period necessary to avoid a charge to the
                  Corporation's earnings for financial reporting purposes and
                  valued at Fair Market Value on the Exercise Date; or

                           (D)  through a special sale and remittance procedure
                  pursuant to which Optionee (or any other person or persons
                  exercising the option) shall concurrently provide irrevocable
                  written instructions (I) to a Corporation-designated brokerage
                  firm to effect the immediate sale of the purchased shares and
                  remit to the Corporation, out of the sale proceeds available
                  on the settlement date, sufficient funds to cover the
                  aggregate Exercise Price payable for the purchased shares plus
                  all applicable Federal, state and local income and employment
                  taxes required to be withheld by the Corporation by reason of
                  such exercise and (II) to the Corporation to deliver the
                  certificates for the purchased shares directly to such
                  brokerage firm in order to complete the sale.

                           Except to the extent the sale and remittance
                  procedure is utilized in connection with the option exercise,
                  payment of the Exercise Price must accompany the Notice of
                  Exercise delivered to the Corporation in connection with the
                  option exercise.

                           (iii) Furnish to the Corporation appropriate
                  documentation that the person or persons exercising the option
                  (if other than Optionee) have the right to exercise this
                  option.

                           (iv)  Make appropriate arrangements with the
                  Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary employing or retaining
                  Optionee) for the satisfaction of all Federal, state and local
                  income and employment tax withholding requirements applicable
                  to the option exercise.

                  (b)      As soon as practical after the Exercise Date, the
Corporation shall issue to or on behalf of Optionee (or any other person or
persons exercising this option) a certificate for the purchased Option Shares,
with the appropriate legends affixed thereto.

                  (c)      In no event may this option be exercised for any
fractional shares.


                                       5.
<PAGE>   6
                  10.      COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

                           (a)      The exercise of this option and the issuance
of the Option Shares upon such exercise shall be subject to compliance by the
Corporation and Optionee with all applicable requirements of law relating
thereto and with all applicable regulations of any stock exchange (or the Nasdaq
National Market, if applicable) on which the Common Stock may be listed for
trading at the time of such exercise and issuance.

                           (b)      The inability of the Corporation to obtain 
approval from any regulatory body having authority deemed by the Corporation to
be necessary to the lawful issuance and sale of any Common Stock pursuant to
this option shall relieve the Corporation of any liability with respect to the
non-issuance or sale of the Common Stock as to which such approval shall not
have been obtained. The Corporation, however, shall use its best efforts to
obtain all such approvals.

                  11.      SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS. Except to the extent 
otherwise provided in Paragraphs 3 and 6, the provisions of this Agreement shall
inure to the benefit of, and be binding upon, the Corporation and its successors
and assigns and Optionee, Optionee's assigns and the legal representatives,
heirs and legatees of Optionee's estate.

                  12.      NOTICES. Any notice required to be given or delivered
to the Corporation under the terms of this Agreement shall be in writing and
addressed to the Corporation at its principal corporate offices. Any notice
required to be given or delivered to Optionee shall be in writing and addressed
to Optionee at the address indicated below Optionee's signature line on the
Grant Notice. All notices shall be deemed effective upon personal delivery or
upon deposit in the U.S. mail, postage prepaid and properly addressed to the
party to be notified.

                  13.      FINANCING. The Plan Administrator may, in its 
absolute discretion and without any obligation to do so, permit Optionee to pay
the Exercise Price for the purchased Option Shares by delivering a promissory
note. The terms of any such promissory note (including the interest rate, the
requirements for collateral and the terms of repayment) shall be established by
the Plan Administrator in its sole discretion.

                  14.      CONSTRUCTION. This Agreement and the option evidenced
hereby are made and granted pursuant to the Plan and are in all respects limited
by and subject to the terms of the Plan. All decisions of the Plan Administrator
with respect to any question or issue arising under the Plan or this Agreement
shall be conclusive and binding on all persons having an interest in this
option.

                  15.      GOVERNING LAW.  The interpretation, performance and 
enforcement of this Agreement shall be governed by the laws of the State of
California without resort to that State's conflict-of-laws rules.


                                       6.
<PAGE>   7
                                    EXHIBIT I

                               NOTICE OF EXERCISE


                  I hereby notify ACT Networks, Inc. (the "Corporation") that I
elect to purchase _____________ shares of the Corporation's Common Stock (the
"Purchased Shares") at the option exercise price of $ ___________ per share (the
"Exercise Price") pursuant to that certain option (the "Option") granted to me
under the Corporation's 1997 Non-Executive Officer Stock Option/Stock Issuance
Plan on ____________ , 199__ .

                  Concurrently with the delivery of this Exercise Notice to the
Corporation, I shall hereby pay to the Corporation the Exercise Price for the
Purchased Shares in accordance with the provisions of my agreement with the
Corporation (or other documents) evidencing the Option and shall deliver
whatever additional documents may be required by such agreement as a condition
for exercise. Alternatively, I may utilize the special broker-dealer sale and
remittance procedure specified in my agreement to effect payment of the Exercise
Price.


______________________ , 199
Date

                                       ________________________________________
                                       Optionee

                                       Address: _______________________________

                                       ________________________________________

Print name in exact manner
it is to appear on the
stock certificate:                     ________________________________________

Address to which certificate
is to be sent, if different
from address above:                    ________________________________________

                                       ________________________________________

Social Security Number:                ________________________________________

Employee Number:                       ________________________________________

<PAGE>   8
                                    APPENDIX


                  The following definitions shall be in effect under the
Agreement:

         A.       AGREEMENT shall mean this Stock Option Agreement.

         B.       BOARD shall mean the Corporation's Board of Directors.

         C.       CODE shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

         D.       COMMON STOCK shall mean the Corporation's common stock.

         E.       CORPORATE TRANSACTION shall mean either of the following 
stockholder approved transactions to which the Corporation is a party:

                  (i)  a merger or consolidation in which securities possessing
         more than fifty percent (50%) of the total combined voting power of the
         Corporation's outstanding securities are transferred to a person or
         persons different from the persons holding those securities immediately
         prior to such transaction, or

                  (ii) the sale, transfer or other disposition of all or
         substantially all of the Corporation's assets in complete liquidation
         or dissolution of the Corporation.

         F.       CORPORATION shall mean ACT Networks, Inc., a Delaware 
corporation.

         G.       EMPLOYEE shall mean an individual who is in the employ of the 
Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary), subject to the control and direction
of the employer entity as to both the work to be performed and the manner and
method of performance.

         H.       EXERCISE DATE shall mean the date on which the option shall 
have been exercised in accordance with Paragraph 9 of the Agreement.

         I.       EXERCISE PRICE shall mean the exercise price per share as 
specified in the Grant Notice.

         J.       EXPIRATION DATE shall mean the date on which the option 
expires as specified in the Grant Notice.

         K.       FAIR MARKET VALUE per share of Common Stock on any relevant 
date shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:


                                      A-1.
<PAGE>   9
                (i)  If the Common Stock is at the time traded on the Nasdaq
         National Market, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing
         selling price per share of Common Stock on the date in question, as the
         price is reported by the National Association of Securities Dealers on
         the Nasdaq National Market or any successor system. If there is no
         closing selling price for the Common Stock on the date in question,
         then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price on the
         last preceding date for which such quotation exists.

               (ii) If the Common Stock is at the time listed on any Stock
         Exchange, then the Fair Market Value shall be the closing selling price
         per share of Common Stock on the date in question on the Stock Exchange
         determined by the Plan Administrator to be the primary market for the
         Common Stock, as such price is officially quoted in the composite tape
         of transactions on such exchange. If there is no closing selling price
         for the Common Stock on the date in question, then the Fair Market
         Value shall be the closing selling price on the last preceding date for
         which such quotation exists.

         L.       GRANT DATE shall mean the date of grant of the option as
specified in the Grant Notice.

         M.       GRANT NOTICE shall mean the Notice of Grant of Stock Option
accompanying the Agreement, pursuant to which Optionee has been informed of the
basic terms of the option evidenced hereby.

         N.       INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION shall mean the termination of 
Optionee's Service which occurs by reason of:

                  (i)  Optionee's involuntary dismissal or discharge by the
         Corporation for reasons other than Misconduct, or

                  (ii) Optionee's voluntary resignation following (A) a change
         in Optionee's position with the Corporation (or Parent or Subsidiary
         employing Optionee) which materially reduces Optionee's level of
         responsibility, (B) a reduction in Optionee's level of compensation
         (including base salary, fringe benefits and participation in
         corporate-performance based bonus or incentive programs) by more than
         fifteen percent (15%) or (C) a relocation of Optionee's place of
         employment by more than fifty (50) miles, provided and only if such
         change, reduction or relocation is effected by the Corporation without
         Optionee's consent.


                                      A-2.
<PAGE>   10
         O.       MISCONDUCT shall mean the commission of any act of fraud,
embezzlement or dishonesty by Optionee, any unauthorized use or disclosure by
Optionee of confidential information or trade secrets of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary), or any other intentional misconduct by Optionee adversely
affecting the business or affairs of the Corporation (or any Parent or
Subsidiary) in a material manner. The foregoing definition shall not be deemed
to be inclusive of all the acts or omissions which the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary) may consider as grounds for the dismissal or discharge of
Optionee or any other individual in the Service of the Corporation (or any
Parent or Subsidiary).

         P.       NON-STATUTORY OPTION shall mean an option not intended to 
satisfy the requirements of Code Section 422.

         Q.       NOTICE OF EXERCISE shall mean the notice of exercise in the 
form attached hereto as Exhibit I.

         R.       OPTION SHARES shall mean the number of shares of Common Stock 
subject to the option as specified in the Grant Notice.

         S.       OPTIONEE shall mean the person to whom the option is granted 
as specified in the Grant Notice.

         T.       PARENT shall mean any corporation (other than the Corporation)
in an unbroken chain of corporations ending with the Corporation, provided each
corporation in the unbroken chain (other than the Corporation) owns, at the time
of the determination, stock possessing fifty percent (50%) or more of the total
combined voting power of all classes of stock in one of the other corporations
in such chain.

         U.       PERMANENT DISABILITY shall mean the inability of Optionee to 
engage in any substantial gainful activity by reason of any medically
determinable physical or mental impairment which is expected to result in death
or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of twelve (12)
months or more.

         V.       PLAN shall mean the Corporation's 1997 Non-Executive Officer 
Stock Option/Stock Issuance Plan.

         W.       PLAN ADMINISTRATOR shall mean either the Board or a committee 
of Board members, to the extent the committee is at the time responsible for the
administration of the Plan.

         X.       SERVICE shall mean the Optionee's performance of services for 
the Corporation (or any Parent or Subsidiary) in the capacity of an Employee, a
non-employee member of the board of directors or a consultant or independent
advisor.


                                      A-3.
<PAGE>   11
         Y.       STOCK EXCHANGE shall mean the American Stock Exchange or the 
New York Stock Exchange.

         Z.       SUBSIDIARY shall mean any corporation, partnership, joint 
venture or other business entity in which the Corporation owns, directly or
indirectly, stock or a capital or profit interest.


                                      A-4.