Aerial service wire

An aerial service wire, which comprises:

• a core comprising at least one transmission medium which is enclosed with a plastic material;
• a jacket which comprises a plastic material and which encloses said transmission medium, said at least one transmission medium being adjacent to a longitudinal axis of symmetry of said jacket and wherein a cross section of said jacket transverse to the longitudinal axis of symmetry is defined by a width and a height with an axis which spans the jacket cross section, the height of end portions of the cross section being greater than the height of a center portion which connects the end portions to provide a longitudinally extending trough in said jacket which upon the application of cutting forces thereto facilitates the accessing of its transmission medium;
• and
• a strength member system comprising two groups of non-metallic strength members with each group being disposed between said tranmission medium and an outer surface of the jacket and aligned with one of the end portions and with each strength member of each group comprising a plurality of filaments that are gathered together and impregnated with a plastic material that causes it to be coupled to said jacket, each group including sufficient strength members and separation thereamong to provide sufficient surface area in engagement with the plastic material of said jacket to obtain suitable coupling between said jacket and said strength member system.