A communication cable assembly comprising: an outer cable jacket; a first tensile strength element surrounded by the outer cable jacket; a plurality of subunits surrounded by the outer cable jacket, each subunit comprising: an inner jacket defining a passage; a plurality of optical fibers located within the passage that together have an axial rigidity; a second tensile strength element located within the passage that has an axial rigidity; a coupling unit, wherein the outer cable jacket is received within a first end of the coupling unit such that the outer cable jacket terminates at the coupling unit, wherein each of the subunits extends out of a second end of the coupling unit, wherein the first tensile strength element and the inner jackets of each of the subunits are coupled to the coupling unit and the plurality of optical fibers and the second tensile strength element extend through the coupling unit without being coupled to the coupling unit; an optical connector coupled to an end of each of the subunits, each optical connector comprising: a body coupled to the second tensile strength element of the subunit; a ferrule coupled to all of the optical fibers of the subunit; and a spring located between the ferrule and the body, the spring has a spring force representative of the force needed to cause a maximum compression of the spring; wherein the first tensile strength element is located outside of the inner jackets of the subunits; wherein each subunit has a subunit end portion located between the coupling unit and the optical connector coupled to the subunit, the subunit end portion has an initial length measured between the coupling unit and the optical connector; wherein, under axial loading of the cable assembly applied at the coupling unit, each subunit experiences a portion of the axial load resulting in compression of the subunit end portion, and further wherein both the optical fibers and the second tensile strength element experience some of the portion of the axial loading of the subunit; wherein a ratio of the axial rigidity of the second tensile strength element to the axial rigidity of the optical fibers of each subunit is such that, when a decrease in length of the subunit end portion under the axial loading is between 0.1% and 2.5%, the portion of the axial load experienced by the optical fibers of the subunit is greater than zero and is less than the spring force. an outer cable jacket; a first tensile strength element surrounded by the outer cable jacket; a plurality of subunits surrounded by the outer cable jacket, each subunit comprising: an inner jacket defining a passage; a plurality of optical fibers located within the passage that together have an axial rigidity; a second tensile strength element located within the passage that has an axial rigidity; an inner jacket defining a passage; a plurality of optical fibers located within the passage that together have an axial rigidity; a second tensile strength element located within the passage that has an axial rigidity; a coupling unit, wherein the outer cable jacket is received within a first end of the coupling unit such that the outer cable jacket terminates at the coupling unit, wherein each of the subunits extends out of a second end of the coupling unit, wherein the first tensile strength element and the inner jackets of each of the subunits are coupled to the coupling unit and the plurality of optical fibers and the second tensile strength element extend through the coupling unit without being coupled to the coupling unit; an optical connector coupled to an end of each of the subunits, each optical connector comprising: a body coupled to the second tensile strength element of the subunit; a ferrule coupled to all of the optical fibers of the subunit; and a spring located between the ferrule and the body, the spring has a spring force representative of the force needed to cause a maximum compression of the spring; a body coupled to the second tensile strength element of the subunit; a ferrule coupled to all of the optical fibers of the subunit; and a spring located between the ferrule and the body, the spring has a spring force representative of the force needed to cause a maximum compression of the spring; wherein the first tensile strength element is located outside of the inner jackets of the subunits; wherein each subunit has a subunit end portion located between the coupling unit and the optical connector coupled to the subunit, the subunit end portion has an initial length measured between the coupling unit and the optical connector; wherein, under axial loading of the cable assembly applied at the coupling unit, each subunit experiences a portion of the axial load resulting in compression of the subunit end portion, and further wherein both the optical fibers and the second tensile strength element experience some of the portion of the axial loading of the subunit; wherein a ratio of the axial rigidity of the second tensile strength element to the axial rigidity of the optical fibers of each subunit is such that, when a decrease in length of the subunit end portion under the axial loading is between 0.1% and 2.5%, the portion of the axial load experienced by the optical fibers of the subunit is greater than zero and is less than the spring force.