Smart Communications (Smart) was the first company to enter the liberalised market. In September 1999, PLDT purchased Smart Communications absorbing it as a 100-percent owned subsidiary. Smart was financially supported by First Pacific. This partnership resulted to a rapid construction of Smart’s network and more importantly, the subsidization of handsets. Smart was also authorised to offer both international gateway and cellular telephone services. At the end of 2005, Smart became the largest cellular operator in the Philippines with over 15.4 million subscribers.