1980 - for the first time in the history of Western Union revenues from money transfers exceeded the income from the telegraph service. Western Union offers one of the easiest ways for families and friends to send money and stay connected almost anywhere in the world. As a result of 2011, net income of Western Union has increased by 28% to $ 1.165 billion, the company reported. Separation of the companies had two objectives: first, to give Western Union the opportunity to develop more intensively, and secondly, to help First Data to return to its original activity (in 1992 the company separated from the payment system of American Express as an independent financial services company). In October 1871 the company Western Union began to provide money transfer services, drawing on its own extensive telegraph network.