Tubeless fiber optic cables having strength members and methods therefor

A method of making a tubeless fiber optic cable comprising:

• providing at least one optical fiber;
• providing a first strength member, the first strength member having a construction that includes a plurality of strands, wherein the first strength member has an essentially dead-lay;
• providing a second strength member, the second strength member having a construction that includes a plurality of strands, wherein the second strength member has an essentially dead-lay;
• and
• applying a cable jacket about the at least one optical fiber, the first strength member, and the second strength member, wherein the first strength member and the second strength member are disposed on opposite sides of a cavity of the cable jacket, thereby inhibiting the distortion of a cross-sectional shape of the cable jacket.

A tubeless fiber optic cable comprising:

• at least one optical fiber;
• and
• a cable jacket, the cable jacket providing a tubeless cable construction having a cross-sectional shape defining a cavity along a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic cable;
• and
• a first strength member and a second strength member having a construction that includes a plurality of strands, the first strength member and the second strength member being disposed on opposite sides of the cavity, wherein the first strength member has a torsional force in a first direction and the second strength has a torsional force in a second direction that is in the opposite of the first direction, thereby intentionally distorting a cross-sectional shape of the cavity due to torsional forces from the strength members being in opposite directions.