1998 - the number of points of money transfers worldwide reached 50,000. The network of money transfers of Western Union is the world's largest. As a result of 2011, net income of Western Union has increased by 28% to $ 1.165 billion, the company reported. In 1935, Western Union has put into operation first intercity fax communication. Leaving the idea of expansion into Europe, Western Union took up the expansion of services in the U.S. market. Payment systems are one of basic elements of infrastructure of e-commerce. In October 1871 the company Western Union began to provide money transfer services, drawing on its own extensive telegraph network.