Technology Report.Falling prices are fueling growthin high-speed Internet services,especially in developing countries.Last week the InternationalTelecommunication Unionreleased its "Measuringthe Information Society 2011" report.The ITU, part of the United Nations,compared access, use and skillsin one hundred fifty-two countries.The report says South Koreahas the world's most developed economyin informationand communication technology, or ICT.Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Finlandwere also among the top fivein the ICT Development Index.The index compares two thousand eightand two thousand ten scores.Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Vietnamand Russia had some of the biggestimprovements between those years.Susan Teltscher is head of the ICT Dataand Statistics Divisionat the International TelecommunicationUnion in Switzerland.She says most of the growthin this industry has come from one source.SUSAN TELTSCHER: "Mobile broadbandis now leading the growth raceamong the different ICT indicators-- much higher than the otherkey indicators that we look at,like regular mobile phone subscriptions,fixed telephone or fixed broadband.Mobile broadband is reallythe most dynamic sector right now.And the good news is that it's alsostarting to grow in developing countries."Mobile broadband subscriptionsreached eight hundred seventy-two millionby the end of last year.Three hundred million of thoseare in developing countries.Ms. Teltscher says growthin these countries can help reducethe digital dividewith wealthier societies.SUSAN TELTSCHER: "If we can bringInternet over the mobile phones,then we can really make a differencein terms of improving Internet accessalso in developing countries."She says falling pricesare adding to the growth.SUSAN TELTSCHER: "Especiallyin the broadband area,the prices dropped by over fifty percentbetween two thousand eightand two thousand ten-- which is a very encouraging findingbecause this was primarily dropsin the developing countries."Even so, the report says peoplein many low-income countriesare still paying too muchfor high-speed Internet connections.In Africa, for example,broadband service for a homeor office cost almost three timesan average monthly income last year.That was down from six and a half timesas much in two thousand eight.Also, there are big differencesin broadband speed and qualityfrom country to country.National levels of technology developmenthave traditionally been closelylinked to national income levels.But Susan Teltscher at the ITU saysa strong public policy on technologyhas made a difference in South Korea.SUSAN TELTSCHER: "If you lookat their income leveland what they have been achievingin terms of ICT development,it's actually higher thanwhat you would expectgiven their national income."South Korea has the fourthlargest economy in Asia.And that's the VOA Special EnglishTechnology Report,written by June Simms.Transcripts, MP3s and podcastsof our reports are at 51voa.com.