one other ribbon by a web 5 see fig3 for example after element 1 is made it is usually folded over to a configuration such as shown in fig2 and 3 and may be secured by a conventional binder such as a cord 27 or tape see fig3 element 27 for example cutting of binder cord 27 obviously releases ribbon 6 to be outfolded like that shown by element 1 in fig1 in the alternative element 15 of fig2 can be manufactured per se i e in the folded state if desired the invention could be made in the configuration shown by element 6 in which case no binder cord is necessary shown in fig3 by element 6 is a four ribbon composite each ribbon elements 17 18 19 and 20 connected to at least one other ribbon by web 5 it will be noted that the ribbons in fig2 and 3 each have optical fibers that lie in a plane spaced apart from and essentially parallel to a plane delimited by the optical fibers of each of the other optical fiber ribbons the composite ribbon of either fig2 or 3 namely elements 15 or 6 can be used in their intended environment as shown in fig4 and 7 which are cross sections of cables either slotted core cable fig4 and 7 or single or multi tube cable fig6 and 9 the slotted core cable 7 of fig4 is composed of strength elements 8 usually made of steel or grp rod circumscribed by a plastic ring 9 on which in this example there are six radiating spokes that create cavities in which ribbon 6 is disposed.