All is set to go from the telecommunications aspect for L-Istrina, which kicks off at noon tomorrow, according to Maltacom, which is once again the official telecoms provider of the fund-raising TV marathon.
The company is also offering its support by waiving all call-related charges, which amounted to over Lm20, 000 last year.
Maltacom's phone-in system, through which the public can pledge donations via a telephone call, is now up and running at the Malta Fairs and Conventions Centre in Ta' Qali - the new venue for this year's edition of L-Istrina.
The company has taken the necessary safeguards to step up resilience on its infrastructure. In fact, the L-Istrina communications system is fed from two separate exchanges, and Maltacom plans to have a team of supporting staff on site during the event and at the company's various exchanges and operations centres around the island.
It has supplied a total of 141 telephone lines on site - 70 dedicated to incoming Lm5 pledges and 20 to Lm10 donations - with donation lines operating on two separate hunting systems. All 90 lines are connected to a special caller identification system, intended to speed up the allocation of gifts.
Besides the lines installed at the donations phone-in platform, another 51 lines are being used to support various activities, including catering for the more substantial donations.
Moreover, radio booths have been set up and equipped with a telephone link to enable regular updates on most radio stations.
The phone-in donation system has been installed on Maltacom's network and is accessible to fixed operators functioning on Maltacom's own network, as well as mobile operators. Maltacom chairman Saviour Portelli said the company had this year made a significant investment in the L-Istrina campaign as it moved to the Ta' Qali centre.
"Today, we are in a position to guarantee a professional and efficient communications infrastructure, built on advanced technology for this mega fund-raising campaign," he said, encouraging customers to make a telephone call and donate to this worthy cause which has become a national event.
The group's internet arm, www.di-ve.com, is also offering internet users the opportunity to make their L-Istrina donations online.
Further to the article that appeared yesterday in The Times entitled President Urges People To Take Part In Competition Of Solidarity, the full list of beneficiaries of the L-Istrina campaign is as follows:
A.D. H.D. Family Support Group, one per cent; Angela House, eight per cent; Assocjazzjoni Voluntarji Lourdes, 2.5 per cent; Community Chest Fund, 50 per cent; Domus Maria, 1.5 per cent; Down Syndrome Association, 2.5 per cent; Eden Foundation, five per cent; Ethiopia - Angels Children's Home, four per cent; Fondazzjoni Nazareth, four per cent; Guide Dogs Foundation - Malta, 3.25 per cent; Land Group, one per cent; Malta Dementia Society, 1.5 per cent; Malta Red Cross Society (Gozo branch), 3.25 per cent; Malta Wireless and Talking Books For The Blind, 3.25 per cent; Multiple Sclerosis Society of Malta, 3.25 per cent; Razzett tal-Hbiberija, five per cent; Ursuline Sisters, one per cent.