Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. The Western Union Company - the American company, specialising on granting of services of monetary intermediary. Western Union was founded in 1851. The company is one of leaders in the market of the international remittances. 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. In 1866, Sibley ordered the engineers to develop a Western Union telegraph system of stock quotes in real time. In the early 60s Western Union has put into operation transcontinental microwave system of data transmission via radio waves, completely replacing the web of telegraph poles and wires. In 1991, Western Union has sold some low-profit division of the company AT & T, GM Hughes Electronics, and to some others. In the same year the company changed its name to New Valley Corp. Before transition to remittances Western Union company rendered services on sphere of cable communication. In October 1871 the company Western Union began to provide money transfer services, drawing on its own extensive telegraph network.