Sonus Networks quarterly loss widens, forecasts weak 3rd qtr

Aug 7 (Reuters) - Voice and data communication equipment maker Sonus Networks Inc's second-quarter revenue missed analysts' estimates and it forecast current-quarter sales below expectations.

Sonus said it expects third-quarter revenue between $51 million and $53 million.

Analysts on average were expecting $68.5 million in revenue, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Sonus said it started restructuring its operations to cut costs and expects to record a $2.3 million charge in the third quarter.

Loss widened to $11.7 million, or 4 cents per share, for the second quarter from $6.4 million, or 2 cents per share, a year earlier.

Excluding items, Sonus, which counts AT&T Inc and Qwest Communications among its top customers, reported a loss of 3 cents per share.

Revenue for the company, which competes with Acme Packet Inc , rose 11 percent to $57.6 million.

Analysts had expected a loss of 3 cents per share, on revenue of $58.2 million, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Shares of the Westford, Massachusetts-based company closed at $1.81 on the Nasdaq on Tuesday.