Drop cable

A drop cable, comprising:

• a jacket, wherein the jacket comprises an extrudable material, wherein the jacket has a cavity defined therein, wherein the cavity is a central cavity, wherein the cavity is substantially oval-shaped, wherein the minor dimension of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity is as small as about 0.25 mm, and wherein the major dimension of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity is in a range of 0.25 mm to 10 mm, wherein the jacket has an elongate cross-sectional shape, and wherein the jacket is elongate in the same direction as the substantially oval-shape of the cavity;
• first and second support members, wherein the support members are arranged on opposing sides of the cavity, wherein the support members run generally longitudinally;
• wherein the support members are rod-like, wherein the drop cable is configured for aerial applications and is self-supporting at a 150-foot span;
• and
• at least one optical fiber, wherein the at least one optical fiber comprises a bend-insensitive optical fiber, thereby facilitating low-temperature performance of the drop cable, wherein the optical fiber is within the cavity, wherein the optical fiber has a length greater than a length of the drop cable, wherein the optical fiber is in a substantially serpentine configuration in the cavity, wherein the serpentine configuration is substantially along a plane defined by a major axis of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity.

A drop cable, comprising:

• a jacket, wherein the jacket comprises an extrudable material, wherein the jacket has a cavity defined therein, wherein the cavity is substantially oval-shaped, wherein the minor dimension of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity is as small as about 0.25 mm, and wherein the major dimension of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity is in a range of 0.25 mm to 10 mm;
• first and second support members, wherein the support members are arranged on opposing sides of the cavity, wherein the support members run generally longitudinally;
• wherein the support members are rod-like, wherein the drop cable is configured for aerial applications and is self-supporting at a 150-foot span;
• and
• at least one optical fiber, wherein the optical fiber has a length greater than that of the drop cable by between 0.1% and 0.4% of the length of the drop cable, wherein the optical fiber is within the cavity, wherein the optical fiber has a length greater than a length of the drop cable, wherein the optical fiber is in a substantially serpentine configuration in the cavity, wherein the serpentine configuration is substantially along a plane defined by a major axis of the substantially oval-shape of the cavity.