Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. Money transfer is a matter of minutes, at any distance. July 3, 1884 the company's shares were included in the calculation base for the newly created stock index Dow Jones Transportation Average. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. Before transition to remittances Western Union company rendered services on sphere of cable communication. In 1879 Western Union left the telephone business after losing a lawsuit against Alexander Graham Bell - the patent holder on the phone. In the 1910-1920 years. Western Union is actively engaged in researching, innovating in the field of data transmission.