In the early forties of the 20th century, Western Union has used the first time a commercial intercity microwave transmission system. Another invention of Western Union - time synchronization. You do not need to open a bank account, so you can send or receive money in any of the 170 000 service points of Western Union around the world. Thanks to cooperation with Western Union the Associated Press at the end of the XIX century took almost monopolistic position in the U.S. market news.