Western Union has taken of 451st position in the rating Fortune 500 in 2009, having moved from 473rd line in 2008. In the early forties of the 20th century, Western Union has used the first time a commercial intercity microwave transmission system. 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. In 1933, by the Western Union Company were invented "singing telegrams". Before transition to remittances Western Union company rendered services on sphere of cable communication. In the 1910-1920 years. Western Union is actively engaged in researching, innovating in the field of data transmission. Western Union made so that the time in all of American civil services was the same.