In the early forties of the 20th century, Western Union has used the first time a commercial intercity microwave transmission system. In 1920, Western Union has implemented the world's first transmission of images over the ocean. By 1861 Western Union telegraph lines entangled the whole America. It's time to explore Europe. 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. In 1879 Western Union left the telephone business after losing a lawsuit against Alexander Graham Bell - the patent holder on the phone. The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States.