Hi Umbi,
[reference] http://lists.swinog.ch/public/swinog/2010-October/004771.html [/reference]
I've got enough experience in politics to tell you that influence or 'being heard' is not about how big you are, but is definitely about the connections you have. If you have the right chairman you get stuff done, if you don't, you fail. As simple as that and almost independent on how big you are. ASUT on the other hand is a well established TELECOM association. Its Service Provider WG is small and includes almost only the big players. Small ISPs do not join ASUT because they feel useless there or fear they won't be heard.
SwiNOG, respectively SwiNOG Organisation Association is NOT the right entity for that. You would need to rewrite the whole statutes to make it an umbrella organization, change almost the whole board and so, at the end, change almost everything except the name.
Manpower, you're right about that, but without organization you're nowhere. Get a board organize this and you will have manpower. You can also force, by statutes, members (ISPs) to dedicate some manpower. (not talking about a lot of manpower, but if every member dedicates a few days a year, you will have manpower and work done).
just my 2 cents. not wanting to offend anyone, neither trying to get this great idea out of your heads.
You're not. Solutions come through discussions not otherwise.
just playing "advocatus diaboli" here. don't shoot me.
**hit** ;-P
Pascal