As Emirati cities are evolving into smart spaces, they've demonstrated efficient use of communication tools for monitoring public healthcare, facilitating remote work and for empowering online transactions. The adoption of digital solutions has largely been possible due to high-speed connectivity, which people in the UAE are able to enjoy without any major interruption.

But as the country moves closer to full 5G coverage, and its top telco Etisalat chalks out a plan to introduce super-fast 6G connections, the infrastructure also needs sophisticated upgrades. At a time when the world is in awe of Elon Musk's designs to create a constellation of satellites for beaming high-speed internet, cosmic vehicles flying low in Earth's orbit may rise as a viable backup for Emirati netizens.

Experts from Boston Consulting Group, which had recently named UAE among the top three countries which provide digital government services, are touting LEO tech as a game-changer for Emirati cities. They are of the view that in case the on ground network that keeps online activities in urban smart spaces up and running were to hit a wall, Low Earth Orbit satellites can glide in to rescue netizens from an internet blackout.

The King Zayed City in the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi and the Sustainable City in Dubai are frontrunners among smart ecosystems in the country. These projects stand to benefit from online services, digital solutions and gadgets, which'll be an inseparable part of public infrastructure and households in the near future.

Being connected round the clock will be essential for the living spaces and workplaces of tomorrow, and that's where a backup in the cosmos will come in handy.

To add to the obvious benefits that LEO has for urban tech hubs, the orbital network can also relay quality internet services to people in remote areas, which are still out of reach for the ground level infrastructure.