Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. Western Union offers one of the easiest ways for families and friends to send money and stay connected almost anywhere in the world. Western Union has several divisions, with products such as person-to-person money transfer, money orders, business payments and commercial services. In 1866, Sibley ordered the engineers to develop a Western Union telegraph system of stock quotes in real time. In 1877, starting from September, New York City residents began to have the opportunity to check the time on clock with the "time ball", located on the roof of constructed in the same year a new corporate headquarters - Western Union Building. 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. The size of the commission fee for the transfer is charged according to the Western Union tariffs and depends on the amount of money sent. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. In 1864, fearing the laying of long underwater lines, Western Union offered to carry out laying of telegraph lines to Europe through the Russian Alaska under the narrow Bering Strait and then to Siberia with branching in the major cities of Europe.