Abstract: Self-supporting cables include at least one insulated conductor that includes a conductor having at least one wire and an insulation around the cable conductor. The cable further includes at least one longitudinally extending shield band and a jacket. The shield band is rigid in a radial direction and includes undulations that extend mainly in a tangential direction. The shield band includes undulations which correspond to the jacket undulations. A weak radially acting compressive force causes the jacket undulations and the shield band undulations to cam into each other, such that the force of gravity acting on the cable between the cable fixing points is transmitted into the conductors, and an axially acting force in the absence of slippage between the different cable layers. The cable becomes self-supporting by virtue of the mechanical strength of the conductors.