Less than 10% of communications go 100 miles north of London Study looked at communication patterns in EU, Africa and Saudi Arabia It used data from BT, Orange, Saudi Telecom Company and Telecom Italia Research found north-south divides and historical boundaries still exist In the UK, 9.5% of communications cross a line 100 miles north of London Divides between Flemish and French regions in Belgium were also spotted Despite technology making it possible for us to speak to anyone around the world at any time, new research has found we still predominantly choose to communicate with people who live geographically nearby. By studying data from mobile network operators across Europe, Africa and Saudi Arabia, scientists highlighted that north-south divides as well as historical boundaries are still present. In particular, it found that in the UK, only 9.5 per cent of communication between people living in both the North and the South of the country crossed a dividing line situated 100â€‰miles north of London. Patterns reveal we still only predominantly talk to people who live in certain geographical areas, and highlighted north-south divides, and historical boundaries, can determine this spread of communication. This graphic shows the spread of calls made in Portugal, with the boundaries highlighted in different colours According to research from Skype, British living rooms contain Â£23.5 billion of internet-connected devices, yet many use them to talk to people within the same house. The study found that almost half (48 per cent) use instant messaging services while watching television. More than a quarter (28 per cent) of people use devices to contact other people in the same household. This figure rises to 45 per cent among student and 18 to 24-year-olds. Elsewhere, Belgium has a history of linguistic and social divide between the Flemish-speaking Flanders region, in the north, and French-speaking Wallonia, in the south. Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who conducted the study, found that only 3.5 per cent of communications take place between these regions. In Italy, only 7.8 per cent of communications cross a line roughly along the northern border of the Emilio-Romagna region. These invisible borders, the researchers say, â€˜help us grasp the social, civic, and commercial interactions that exist in contemporary nations, and may be of use to government officials and other policy experts.â€™ â€˜We are looking at networks to think about how communities are structured over space,â€™ said Carlo Ratti, an associate professor in MITâ€™s Department of Urban Studies and Planning. Belgium has a history of linguistic and social divide between the Flemish-speaking Flanders region, in the north, and French-speaking Wallonia, in the south, pictured. According to the study, only 3.5 per cent of communications took place between these regions and crossed this historical boundary The study is part of a larger effort, he added, to see â€˜how we can use these technologies to better understand the extent of constituencies and communities.â€™ In addition to the UK, Italy, and Belgium, the researchers studied communication patterns in France, Portugal, the Ivory Coast, and Saudi Arabia. They used anonymous data from network operators BT, Orange, Telecom Italia and the Saudia Telecom Company. The researchers mapped the connections in two iterations: first at a larger scale, and then at a more local level, to see network patterns across and within regions and communities. This highlighted that in France, for example, patterns of communication closely mirrored the nationâ€™s historical administrative regions.Yet the data also revealed a larger east-west divide running almost the length of the country. According to co-author Stanislav Sobolevsky: â€˜The findings show that, for all the digital connectivity in civic life today, people still connect in a geographically cohesive, connected set of communities. The researchers claim this kind of mapping could be useful for governments when discussing political or administrative boundaries. It could also be used for market analysis or other forms of research. â€˜Weâ€™re more interested in the theory behind it,â€™ Ratti said, â€˜and in how this can contribute to a â€˜science of cities.â€™â€™ The findings are published in the journal PLoS ONE.