Electrically traceable and identifiable fiber optic cables and connectors

A composite fiber optic cable for electronic detection at a transmission site of indicators from remote status points to enable physical tracing and identifying cable status within a fiber optic network installation comprising:

• a length of flexible jacket extending between the transmission and remote sites, the flexible jacket having an asymmetrical cross-section with a major and minor axis and including at least one internal plenum for receiving optical fiber elements therein, the jacket further including at least one exterior concave channel for receiving conductive elements;
• at least one coated optical fiber element disposed in the at least one internal plenum portion of the flexible jacket and extending along its length;
• and
• at least one electrically conductive element embedded in the at least one exterior concave channel of the jacket, the at least one conductive element being dimensioned such that a conductive surface is exposed exterior to the jacket when the conductive element is embedded in position,
• wherein the jacket cross-section exhibits a moment of inertia along the major axis at least four times greater than a moment of inertia along the minor axis, and wherein the at least one conductive element is disposed within 0.5 mm of the major axis, such that the at least one conductive element is subjected, during bending of the cable, to less than 5% strain, when the cable is bent to a degree greater than a minimum bend radius of the at least one fiber element.