content: <PAGE>   1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 1997
                                                   Registration No. 33-
  ===============================================================================
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
              REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
  
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
  
                DELAWARE                                  54-1025763
      (State or other jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer 
      incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)
  
  
               1000 COIT ROAD                                75075
                PLANO, TEXAS                               (Zip Code)
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                1993 EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION AND SECURITIES AWARD PLAN
                              (Full title of the plan)
  
                                  GEORGE B. BRUNT
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                                   1000 COIT ROAD
                                 PLANO, TEXAS 75075
                                   (972) 519-3000
                       (Name, address, and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
  
                                  with a copy to:
  
                                  DANIEL W. RABUN
                                  BAKER & MCKENZIE
                            2001 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 4500
                                DALLAS, TEXAS 75201
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
  
                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  =======================================================================================================================
                                                       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM
  TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE      AMOUNT TO BE         OFFERING PRICE PER        AGGREGATE OFFERING          AMOUNT OF
       REGISTERED (1)             REGISTERED               SHARE(2)                  PRICE (2)           REGISTRATION FEE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  <S>                           <C>                         <C>                      <C>                      <C>
        Common Stock,             11,750,000               $22.0625                $259,234,375             $78,556
       $.01 par value               Shares
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Preferred Stock            11,750,000                 N/A                       N/A                     N/A
     Purchase Rights(3)             Rights
  =======================================================================================================================
  </TABLE>
  
  (1)      Shares of common stock of DSC Communications Corporation (the
           "Company"), $.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), being
           registered hereby relate to the DSC Communications Corporation 1993
           Employee Stock Option and Securities Award Plan (the "Plan"). Pursuant
           to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
           (the "Securities Act"), there are also being registered such
           additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable pursuant to
           the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
  (2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
           pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) promulgated under the Securities Act
           on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
           Common Stock on July 8, 1997, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
  (3)      In accordance with rule 457(g), no additional registration fee is 
           required in respect of Preferred Stock Purchase Rights.
  
  ===============================================================================
  
            THE 11,750,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK BEING REGISTERED HEREBY SHALL
  BE ISSUED UNDER THE PLAN, WHICH WAS AMENDED AS OF APRIL 25, 1996 AND APRIL 30,
  1997, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AVAILABLE FOR ISSUANCE
  UNDER THE PLAN. PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS OF THE
  COMPANY'S REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8 AS FILED WITH SECURITIES AND
  EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 29, 1993, REGISTRATION NO. 33-65214 IS INCORPORATED
  BY REFERENCE.
  
  
  
  <PAGE>   2
  
  
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
  registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
  all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
  registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
  duly authorized, in the City of Plano, State of Texas, on July 11, 1997.
  
  
  
                                          DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
  
  
  
                                          By: /s/ JAMES L. DONALD
                                              -----------------------------------
                                              James L. Donald
                                              Chairman of the Board, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer
  
  
  
                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY
  
           Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes James L.
  Donald or Gerald F. Montry to file one or more amendments (including
  post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, which amendments may
  make such changes in this registration statement as each of them deems
  appropriate, and each such person hereby appoints James L. Donald or Gerald F.
  Montry as attorney-in-fact to execute in the name and on behalf of the Company
  and any such person, individually and in each capacity stated below, any such
  amendments to this registration statement.
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the date indicated.
  
  
  <TABLE>
  <CAPTION>
  Name                                            Title                                             Date
  ----                                            -----                                             ----
  <S>                                            <C>                                               <C>
  /s/ JAMES L. DONALD                             Chairman of the Board, President,                July 11, 1997
  ---------------------------------------         Chief Executive Officer, and  
  James L. Donald                                 Director (Principal Executive 
                                                  Officer)                      
  
  
  /s/ GERALD F. MONTRY                            Senior Vice President, Chief                     July 11, 1997
  ---------------------------------------         Financial Officer and Director
  Gerald F. Montry                                (Principal Financial Officer)
  
  
  /s/ KENNETH R. VINES                            Vice President, Finance (Principal               July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------          Accounting Officer)
  Kenneth R. Vines                                
  
  
  /s/ RAYMOND J. DEMPSEY                          Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  Raymond J. Dempsey             
  
  
  /s/ SIR JOHN FAIRCLOUGH                         Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  Sir John Fairclough
  
  
  /s/ JAMES L. FISCHER                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  James L. Fischer
  
  
  /s/ ROBERT S. FOLSOM                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  Robert S. Folsom
  
  
                           
                                                  Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  William O. Hunt
  
  
  /s/ MORTON L. TOPFER                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  Morton L. Topfer
  </TABLE>
  
  
  
  
  
  
                                        -1-
  <PAGE>   3
  
  
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.                       Description                            
  -----------                       -----------                            
  
      5            Opinion of Baker & McKenzie
  
     23.1          Consent of Baker & McKenzie (See Exhibit 5)
  
     23.2          Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
     24            Power of Attorney (included on the signature 
                   page of the Registration Statement)
metadata_documents: [{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "description": "FORM S-8", "secsgml_size_bytes": 9350}]
metadata_filer: {"company-data": {"conformed-name": "DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORP", "cik": "0000316004", "assigned-sic": "3661", "irs-number": "541025763", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-31215", "film-number": "97639980"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1000 COIT RD", "city": "PLANO", "state": "TX", "zip": "75075", "phone": "2145193000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "1000 COIT ROAD", "city": "PLANO", "state": "TX", "zip": "75075-5813"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "DIGITAL SWITCH CORP", "date-changed": "19850425"}}
text: 1
      As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 14, 1997
                                                   Registration No. 33-
  ===============================================================================
  
                         SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                               Washington, D.C. 20549
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                                      FORM S-8
  
              REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
               (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
  
                DELAWARE                                  54-1025763
      (State or other jurisdiction of                  (I.R.S. Employer 
      incorporation or organization)                   Identification No.)
  
               1000 COIT ROAD                                75075
                PLANO, TEXAS                               (Zip Code)
  (Address of principal executive offices)
  
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                1993 EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTION AND SECURITIES AWARD PLAN
                              (Full title of the plan)
  
                                  GEORGE B. BRUNT
                           DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
                                   1000 COIT ROAD
                                 PLANO, TEXAS 75075
                                   (972) 519-3000
                       (Name, address, and telephone number,
                     including area code, of agent for service)
  
                                  with a copy to:
  
                                  DANIEL W. RABUN
                                  BAKER & MCKENZIE
                            2001 ROSS AVENUE, SUITE 4500
                                DALLAS, TEXAS 75201
  
                        ------------------------------------
  
                          CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
  =======================================================================================================================
                                                       PROPOSED MAXIMUM          PROPOSED MAXIMUM
  TITLE OF SECURITIES TO BE      AMOUNT TO BE         OFFERING PRICE PER        AGGREGATE OFFERING          AMOUNT OF
       REGISTERED (1)             REGISTERED               SHARE(2)                  PRICE (2)           REGISTRATION FEE
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Common Stock,             11,750,000               $22.0625                $259,234,375             $78,556
       $.01 par value               Shares
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
       Preferred Stock            11,750,000                 N/A                       N/A                     N/A
     Purchase Rights(3)             Rights
  =======================================================================================================================
  (1)      Shares of common stock of DSC Communications Corporation (the
           "Company"), $.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), being
           registered hereby relate to the DSC Communications Corporation 1993
           Employee Stock Option and Securities Award Plan (the "Plan"). Pursuant
           to Rule 416 promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
           (the "Securities Act"), there are also being registered such
           additional shares of Common Stock as may become issuable pursuant to
           the anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.
  (2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee
           pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) promulgated under the Securities Act
           on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
           Common Stock on July 8, 1997, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock Market.
  (3)      In accordance with rule 457(g), no additional registration fee is 
           required in respect of Preferred Stock Purchase Rights.
  
  ===============================================================================
  
            THE 11,750,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK BEING REGISTERED HEREBY SHALL
  BE ISSUED UNDER THE PLAN, WHICH WAS AMENDED AS OF APRIL 25, 1996 AND APRIL 30,
  1997, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AVAILABLE FOR ISSUANCE
  UNDER THE PLAN. PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS OF THE
  COMPANY'S REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8 AS FILED WITH SECURITIES AND
  EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 29, 1993, REGISTRATION NO. 33-65214 IS INCORPORATED
  BY REFERENCE.
  2
  
                                     SIGNATURES
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
  registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets
  all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
  registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
  duly authorized, in the City of Plano, State of Texas, on July 11, 1997.
  
                                          DSC COMMUNICATIONS CORPORATION
  
                                          By: /s/ JAMES L. DONALD
                                              -----------------------------------
                                              James L. Donald
                                              Chairman of the Board, President and
                                              Chief Executive Officer
  
                                 POWER OF ATTORNEY
  
           Each person whose signature appears below hereby authorizes James L.
  Donald or Gerald F. Montry to file one or more amendments (including
  post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, which amendments may
  make such changes in this registration statement as each of them deems
  appropriate, and each such person hereby appoints James L. Donald or Gerald F.
  Montry as attorney-in-fact to execute in the name and on behalf of the Company
  and any such person, individually and in each capacity stated below, any such
  amendments to this registration statement.
  
           Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
  registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the
  capacities and on the date indicated.
  Name                                            Title                                             Date
  ----                                            -----                                             ----
  /s/ JAMES L. DONALD                             Chairman of the Board, President,                July 11, 1997
  ---------------------------------------         Chief Executive Officer, and  
  James L. Donald                                 Director (Principal Executive 
                                                  Officer)                      
  
  /s/ GERALD F. MONTRY                            Senior Vice President, Chief                     July 11, 1997
  ---------------------------------------         Financial Officer and Director
  Gerald F. Montry                                (Principal Financial Officer)
  
  /s/ KENNETH R. VINES                            Vice President, Finance (Principal               July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------          Accounting Officer)
  Kenneth R. Vines                                
  
  /s/ RAYMOND J. DEMPSEY                          Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  Raymond J. Dempsey             
  
  /s/ SIR JOHN FAIRCLOUGH                         Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  Sir John Fairclough
  
  /s/ JAMES L. FISCHER                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  James L. Fischer
  
  /s/ ROBERT S. FOLSOM                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  Robert S. Folsom
  
                           
                                                  Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------
  William O. Hunt
  
  /s/ MORTON L. TOPFER                            Director                                         July 11, 1997
  --------------------------------------         
  Morton L. Topfer
  -1-
  3
  
                                   EXHIBIT INDEX
  
  Exhibit No.                       Description                            
  -----------                       -----------                            
  
      5            Opinion of Baker & McKenzie
  
     23.1          Consent of Baker & McKenzie (See Exhibit 5)
  
     23.2          Consent of Ernst & Young LLP
  
     24            Power of Attorney (included on the signature 
                   page of the Registration Statement)