Optical cable with SZ stranded routable fiber carrying subunits

An optical fiber cable comprising:

• an outer jacket comprising a first inner surface and a first outer surface defining an outermost surface of the optical fiber cable, the first inner surface defining a central bore extending in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end of the outer jacket;
• a first optical fiber carrying subunit and a second optical fiber carrying subunit stranded through the central bore of the outer jacket in an S-Z stranding pattern, wherein each of the first optical fiber carrying subunit and second optical fiber carrying subunit comprises a subunit jacket defining an inner bore and a plurality of optical fibers located within the inner bore of the subunit jacket;
• wherein the plurality of optical fibers of the first optical fiber carrying subunit are twisted in a first rotational direction within the first subunit jacket as the first optical fiber carrying subunit extends from the first end to the second end of the outer jacket, and wherein a center of the first optical fiber carrying subunit is located at a first radius from a center of the central bore;
• wherein the plurality of optical fibers of the second optical fiber carrying subunit are twisted in a second rotational direction within the second subunit jacket opposite the first rotational direction as the second optical fiber carrying subunit extends from the first end to the second end of the outer jacket, and wherein a center of the second optical fiber carrying subunit is located at a second radius from a center of the central bore;
• wherein the second radius is within 50% of the first radius.

A method of manufacturing an optical fiber cable, the method comprising:

• unspooling a first optical fiber carrying subunit, the first optical fiber carrying subunit comprising:
• a first subunit jacket, the first subunit jacket comprising a first inner surface and a first outer surface, the first inner surface defining a first inner bore;
• and
• a plurality of optical fibers located within the first inner bore and extending within the subunit jacket, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are twisted within the first subunit jacket in a first rotational direction;
• unspooling a second optical fiber carrying subunit, the second optical fiber carrying subunit comprising:
• a second subunit jacket, the second subunit jacket comprising a second inner surface and a second outer surface, the second inner surface defining a second inner bore;
• and
• a plurality of optical fibers located within the second inner bore and extending within the subunit jacket, wherein the plurality of optical fibers are twisted within the second subunit jacket in a second rotational direction opposite the first rotation direction;
• unspooling a central elongate member;
• S-Z stranding the first optical fiber carrying subunit and the second optical fiber carrying subunit around the central elongate member;
• and
• extruding a polymer composition around the first subunit jacket and the second subunit jacket to form an outer jacket, the outer jacket comprising an outer surface defining an outermost surface of the optical fiber cable, wherein the subunit jacket of the first optical fiber carrying subunit interfaces against the subunit jacket of the second optical fiber carrying subunit.