An exemplary optical cable comprises a sheath surrounding a cavity and a plurality of modules arranged within the cavity with a filling ratio between 20 and 50%. Exemplary modules include four to twelve optical fibers and a tube surrounding the optical fibers. An exemplary tube has a layered structure including an inner layer of polycarbonate and an outer layer of low friction polymer, such as polyamide and/or fluorinated polymer. An exemplary tube has a ratio between its inner diameter (di) and its outer diameter (d.sub.o) between 0.45 and 0.55, and its outer layer has a thickness between 0.05 and 0.15 mm. The filling ratio of the module is typically 55% or greater.

Flooding compounds for telecommunications cables. Such flooding compounds contain a polyolefin elastomer and a hydrocarbon oil. The polyolefin elastomer has a crystallinity ranging from 10 less than 50 weight percent and a dynamic viscosity of 50,000 centipoise or less at 177 C. The hydrocarbon oil has a kinematic viscosity of 200 centistokes or less at 40 C.

An opto-electrical cable may include an opto-electrical cable core and a polymer layer surrounding the opto-electrical cable core. The opto-electrical cable core may include a wire, one or more channels extending longitudinally along the wire, and one or more optical fibers extending within each channel. The opto-electrical cable may be made by a method that includes providing a wire having a channel, providing optical fibers within the channel to form an opto-electrical cable core, and applying a polymer layer around the opto-electrical cable core. A multi-component cable may include one or more electrical conductor cables and one or more opto-electrical cables arranged in a coax, triad, quad configuration, or hepta configuration. Deformable polymer may surround the opto-electrical cables and electrical conductor cables.

The disclosed fiber optic cable may include (1) a plurality of optical fibers, (2) a core tube surrounding the plurality of optical fibers, (3) a thixotropic gel filling an interstitial space among the optical fibers within the core tube, (4) an intermediate layer surrounding the core tube, where the intermediate layer includes a plurality of linear elements contra-helically wrapped about the core tube, and (5) an outer layer surrounding the intermediate layer, where the outer layer includes a combination of a moisture-cure cross-linked material and an activation catalyst, where the outer layer is formed by masticating and extruding the combination onto the intermediate layer. Various other cables, assemblies, and methods are also disclosed.

An exemplary optical cable comprises a sheath surrounding a cavity and a plurality of modules arranged within the cavity with a filling ratio between 20 and 50%. Exemplary modules include four to twelve optical fibers and a tube surrounding the optical fibers. An exemplary tube has a layered structure including an inner layer of polycarbonate and an outer layer of low friction polymer, such as polyamide and/or fluorinated polymer. An exemplary tube has a ratio between its inner diameter (di) and its outer diameter (d.sub.o) between 0.45 and 0.55, and its outer layer has a thickness between 0.05 and 0.15 mm. The filling ratio of the module is typically 55% or greater.

A telecommunications cable jacket insertion system operates to insert a telecommunication cable into a jacket after the jacket has been separately extruded. The system includes a jacket having structures for easily inserting a cable therein over a long distance in a field location. The system can further include a tool for facilitating the insertion of the cable into the jacket. Further, a cabling system includes a cable assembly that is disaggregated into a robust outer jacketing portion and a manageable fiber optic cable portion. For regions of a cable installation where a robust cable construction is desired, the manageable fiber optic cable portion is sheathed or otherwise contained within the robust outer jacketing portion. For regions of a cable installation where a robust cable construction is not needed, the manageable fiber optic cable portion extends beyond or outside of the robust outer jacketing portion.

The disclosed fiber optic cable may include (1) a plurality of optical fibers, (2) a core tube surrounding the plurality of optical fibers, (3) a thixotropic gel filling an interstitial space among the optical fibers within the core tube, (4) an intermediate layer surrounding the core tube, where the intermediate layer includes a plurality of linear elements contra-helically wrapped about the core tube, and (5) an outer layer surrounding the intermediate layer, where the outer layer includes a combination of a moisture-cure cross-linked material and an activation catalyst, where the outer layer is formed by masticating and extruding the combination onto the intermediate layer. Various other cables, assemblies, and methods are also disclosed.

A cable, which extends in a longitudinal direction, has a cable core and a cable jacket. The cable jacket is extruded around the cable core. The cable is distinguished by the fact that the cable jacket has a plurality of chambers and, overall, is designed, in particular, in the manner of a hollow profile, and by the fact that a functional material different from the material of the cable jacket is introduced within at least one of the chambers. The functional material is preferably a flame proofing agent, but numerous other materials and, in general, functional elements are also conceivable. We further describe a method for producing the cable.

Flooding compounds for telecommunications cables. Such flooding compounds contain a polymeric filler and a branched olefinic fluid. The branched olefinic fluid has an average of at least 1.5 methine carbons per oligomer molecule and at least 40 methine carbons per one thousand total carbons. Additionally, the average number of carbons per molecule in the branched olefinic fluid is from 25 to 200.

An optical cable (1) comprises a sheath (2) surrounding a cavity (3) and a plurality of substantially parallel modules (4) arranged into said cavity (3) with a filling ratio between 20 and 50%; each of said modules (4) comprises: four to twelve fibers (9), A tube (5) surrounding the fibers (9) that comprises a mix of polycarbonate and a low friction polymer, chosen from the group of fluorinated polymers and polyamide; said tube (5) having a ratio between its inner d.sub.i and outer d.sub.o diameters between 0.45 and 0.55, and comprising an outer low friction polymer layer (6) having a thickness between 0.05 and 0.15 mm, A filling ratio of said module 4 greater than 55%.