| CPC G02B 6/4403 (2013.01) [G02B 6/4411 (2013.01); G02B 6/4432 (2013.01); G02B 6/4434 (2013.01)] | 22 Claims |

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1. An optical cable comprising:
a first type of ribbon bundles comprising a first flexible ribbon comprising a first plurality of optical fibers disposed within a first ribbon bundle jacket, the first type of ribbon bundles arranged in an interlocking pattern in a central region of the optical cable, wherein each of the first type of ribbon bundles physically contacts with at least one other ribbon bundle from the first type of ribbon bundles;
a second type of ribbon bundles comprising a second flexible ribbon comprising a second plurality of optical fibers disposed within a second ribbon bundle jacket, wherein each of the second type of ribbon bundles physically contacts with at least one other ribbon bundle from the first type of ribbon bundles;
a third type of ribbon bundles comprising a third flexible ribbon comprising a third plurality of optical fibers disposed within a third ribbon bundle jacket, the second type of ribbon bundles and the third type of ribbon bundles disposed around the first type of ribbon bundles in a peripheral region of the optical cable, wherein each of the third type of ribbon bundles physically contacts with at least one other ribbon bundle from the first type of ribbon bundles;
a plurality of strength rods; and
an outer jacket disposed around the second and the third type of ribbon bundles, the plurality of strength rods being at least partially embedded in the outer jacket, wherein a cumulative cross-sectional area of all of the strength rods in the cable divided by a cumulative cross-sectional area of all glass parts of the optical fibers in the cable is a first value less than 0.22, wherein, at a temperature between −40° C. and 0° C. and at a wavelength of 1550 nm, the attenuation increase of the optical fibers in the cable relative to 25° C. is below 0.15 dB/km.
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