As used in this act:
1. "Cooperative" means any corporation organized pursuant to or which becomes subject to the provisions of the Telephone Cooperative Corporations Act;
2. "Person" means any natural person, firm, association, corporation, business trust, or partnership;
3. "Telephone company" means any natural person, firm, association, corporation, or partnership, other than a cooperative or mutual telephone company, owning, leasing, or operating any line, facility, or system used in furnishing telephone service within this state;
4. "Communication services" means the transmitting, receiving, or both, of information, signals or messages by wire, radio, cellular radio, microwave, fiber optics or any other means, and includes, but is not limited to, the providing of lines, facilities and systems used in providing the services;
5. "Member" means the incorporators of a cooperative and each person thereafter lawfully admitted to membership therein pursuant to the provisions contained in the bylaws; and 6. "Patron" means a member of the cooperative who is eligible to receive patronage dividends or to earn capital credits as a result of the purchase of certain services from the cooperative, as provided by subsection D of Section 438.9 of this title.