Falling prices are fueling growth in high-speed Internetservices, especially in developing countries. Last week theInternational Telecommunication Union released its "Measuring theInformation Society 2011" report. The ITU, part of the UnitedNations, compared access, use and skills in one hundred fifty-twocountries.
价格的下降推动了高速互联网服务的增长，尤其是在发展中国家。上周，国际电信联盟发布了《2011年衡量信息社会发展》的报告。作为联合国一部分的国际电信联盟对152个国家信息和通信技术的接入、使用状况以及技能水平进行了比较。
The report says South Korea has the world's most developedeconomy in information and communication technology, or ICT.Sweden, Iceland, Denmark and Finland were also among the top fivein the ICT Development Index. The index compares two thousand eightand two thousand ten scores.
报告称，是全球信息和通信技术最发达的经济体。瑞典、冰岛、丹麦和芬兰也名列信息和通信技术发展指数前五位。该指数对2008年和2010年（各国在信息和通信技术发展上）的得分进行了对比。
Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Vietnam and Russia had some of thebiggest improvements between those years.
沙特阿拉伯、摩洛哥、越南和俄罗斯是这几年（在发展指数排名上）取得进步最大的国家。
Susan Teltscher is head of the ICT Data and Statistics Divisionat the International Telecommunication Union in Switzerland. Shesays most of the growth in this industry has come from onesource.
苏珊·特尔茨谢尔（SusanTeltscher）是位于瑞士的国际电信联盟信息和通信技术数据和统计司负责人。她表示，这个行业所有的增长出自同一个原因。
SUSAN TELTSCHER: "Mobile broadband is now leading the growthrace among the different ICT indicators -- much higher than theother key indicators that we look at, like regular mobile phonesubscriptions, fixed telephone or fixed broadband. Mobile broadbandis really the most dynamic sector right now. And the good news isthat it's also starting to grow in developing countries."
特尔茨谢尔：“移动宽带目前在各种不同信息和通信技术指标的增长竞赛中处于领先地位，比我们关注的其它关键指标，例如普通移动电话用户、固定电话或固定宽带，要高出很多。移动宽带目前是最活跃的部分。好消息是，移动宽带在发展中国家也开始增长。”
Mobile broadband subscriptions reached eight hundred seventy-twomillion by the end of last year. Three hundred million of those arein developing countries. Ms. Teltscher says growth in thesecountries can help reduce the digital divide with wealthiersocieties.
去年年底，移动宽带用户达到8.72亿。其中3亿用户来自发展中国家。特尔茨谢尔女士表示，这些发展中国家取得的增长可以帮助降低它们与富裕社会（即发达国家）之间的数字鸿沟。”
SUSAN TELTSCHER: "If we can bring Internet over the mobilephones, then we can really make a difference in terms of improvingInternet access also in developing countries."
特尔茨谢尔：“如果我们能够把互联网引入到移动电话，那么我们就能在改善发展中国家的互联网接入方面取得更大成效。”
She says falling prices are adding to the growth.
她表示，价格的下降也刺激了增长。
SUSAN TELTSCHER: "Especially in the broadband area, the pricesdropped by over fifty percent between two thousand eight and twothousand ten -- which is a very encouraging finding because thiswas primarily drops in the developing countries."
特尔茨谢尔：“特别是宽带领域，2008到2010年间宽带价格下跌了超过50%。这是一个非常令人鼓舞的发现，因为这主要是由于发展中国家宽带价格的降低。”
Even so, the report says people in many low-income countries arestill paying too much for high-speed Internet connections. InAfrica, for example, broadband service for a home or office costalmost three times an average monthly income last year. That wasdown from six and a half times as much in two thousand eight.
即便如此，该报告表示，许多低收入国家的人们仍然为高速互联网接入支付了太高的费用。以非洲为例，去年家庭或商业宽带服务的费用几乎是月平均收入的三倍。而2008年宽带费用是月平均收入的6.5倍。
Also, there are big differences in broadband speed and qualityfrom country to country.
此外，各国的宽带速度和质量也存在很大差异。
National levels of technology development have traditionallybeen closely linked to national income levels. But Susan Teltscherat the ITU says a strong public policy on technology has made adifference in South Korea.
国家技术发展水平和国民收入水平历来有着密切联系。但国际电信联盟的特尔茨谢尔表示，科技方面强有力的公共政策使得韩国取得了长足进步。
SUSAN TELTSCHER: "If you look at their income level and whatthey have been achieving in terms of ICT development, it's actuallyhigher than what you would expect given their nationalincome."
特尔茨谢尔：“如果你看看韩国的收入水平和他们在信息和通信技术发展方面取得的进步，实际上它远远超出其国民收入所对应的水平。”
South Korea has the fourth largest economy in Asia.
韩国是亚洲第四大经济体。
