What type of cable has one jacket and is typically lower in cost than breakout cable?

The type of cable that has one jacket and is typically lower in cost than breakout cable is indeed distribution cable. Distribution cables are designed with a single protective outer jacket that houses multiple fiber strands or conductors, making them less expensive to manufacture and install compared to breakout cables. This design allows for easier handling and a reduction in installation time since it eliminates the need for multiple individual jackets typically found in breakout configurations.

In contrast, breakout cables feature individual jackets for each fiber or conductor, which adds to their cost and complexity. Loose-tube cables, which are designed to hold fibers in a gel-filled tubular structure for better protection against environmental factors, also differ in function and cost from distribution cables. Flat cables, while sometimes having a single jacket design, do not primarily serve the same applications as distribution cables. This makes distribution cables a more advantageous and economical choice for many applications, particularly in scenarios where high fiber counts are needed without the additional protection and expense associated with breakout cables.