
<PAGE>   1
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


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


                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT


                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934


Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported)       AUGUST 11, 1997
                                                 ----------------------------


                               ACT NETWORKS, INC.
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               (Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)



         DELAWARE                     0-25740                 77-0396887
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(State or other jurisdiction        (Commission             (IRS Employer
      of incorporation)             File Number)          Identification No.)



188 CAMINO RUIZ, CAMARILLO, CALIFORNIA                           93012
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(Address of principal executive offices)                       (Zip Code)



Registrant's telephone number, including area code       (805) 388-2474
                                                    ------------------------


                                 NOT APPLICABLE
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         (Former name or former address, if changed since last report.)


                                   Page 1 of 5
                          Exhibit Index is Sequentially
                                 Numbered Page 5


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ITEM 2.  ACQUISITION OR DISPOSITION OF ASSETS

         On August 11, 1997, ACT Networks, Inc. (the "Registrant") and ACT
Networks (BNS), Inc. ("Purchaser"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Registrant,
acquired (the "Acquisition") substantially all of the assets of Sourcecom, Inc.,
a California corporation ("Sourcecom") pursuant to a voluntary bankruptcy
proceeding filed by Sourcecom. Sourcecom develops, manufactures, and markets
next generation access networking products which integrate networking
technologies such as frame relay, ATM, switching and routing with transmission
technologies such as T1, ADSL, HDSL, DS3 and OC3 and aggregate subscribers to
ATM or frame relay backbones. Sourcecom's assets include a leased facility which
will continue to be used for such purpose.

         The Acquisition was achieved pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement
(the "Purchase Agreement") dated as of July 16, 1997, by and between the
Purchaser and Sourcecom. No material relationship existed between Sourcecom and
the Registrant, the Registrant's affiliates, directors or officers, or any
associate of any of the Registrant's directors or officers.

         The aggregate purchase price (the "Purchaser Price") paid by the
Registrant and Purchaser to Sourcecom was a total of approximately $8,000,000 in
cash which was paid to Sourcecom upon consummation of the Acquisition on August
11, 1997 (the "Closing"). The Purchase Price was determined on the basis of the
fair value of the Sourcecom assets as of the date of the Purchase Agreement.

         The source of funds for the Acquisition consisted of a portion of the
proceeds from the Registrant's initial public offering on May 2, 1995.

ITEM 7.  FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION
         AND EXHIBITS.

         (a) Financial Statements of Business Acquired.

             The financial statements of Sourcecomm required to be filed
             pursuant to this section are not available at this time. Such
             financial statements will be filed by the Registrant as soon as
             practicable by an amended Current Report on Form 8-K which will be
             filed within sixty (60) days after the required filing date of this
             Current Report on Form 8-K.

         (b) Pro Forma Financial Information.

             The pro forma financial statements of the Registrant required to be
             filed pursuant to this section are not available at this time. Such
             pro forma financial information will be filed by the Registrant as
             soon as practicable by an amended Current Report on Form 8-K which
             will be filed within sixty (60) days after the required filing date
             of this Current Report on Form 8-K.

                                   Page 2 of 5


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         (c) Exhibits:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         Exhibit
         Number          Description
         -------         -----------
       <S>               <C>
          2.2            The Asset Purchase Agreement by and between ACT 
                         Networks (BNS), Inc. and Sourcecom, Inc., dated as 
                         of July 16, 1997.*
</TABLE>






-------- 

* The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally a copy of
  any omitted schedule to this document to the Securities and Exchange
  Commission upon request.

                                   Page 3 of 5

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                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.



Date:   August 26, 1997               ACT NETWORKS, INC.



                                      /s/   Melvin L. Flowers
                                      -----------------------------------------
                                      Melvin L. Flowers, Vice President Finance
                                      and Chief Financial Officer



                                   Page 4 of 5


<PAGE>   5


                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS



<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                Sequentially
                                                                  Numbered
Exhibit        Description                                           Page
-------        -----------                                      ------------
<S>            <C>                                               <C>
2.2            The Asset Purchase Agreement by and between            6
               the Purchaser and Sourcecom, Inc. dated as 
               of July 16, 1997.*   
</TABLE>





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*  The Registrant hereby undertakes to furnish supplementally a copy of
   any omitted schedule to this document to the Securities and Exchange
   Commission upon request.


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