(1) In accordance with section 44 of the Act, the Fund shall compensate a telecommunications provider who is required to provide telecommunications service.
(2) For the purposes of section 44 of the Act, “actual cost” means the net present value of net economic deficits that would be incurred by the telecommunications provider undertaking the full cost of the project on its own.
(3) Net economic deficit shall be calculated as the costs the telecommunications provider would have avoided by not providing the service (including capital expenditures, operating expense, and a reasonable rate of return on investment) less any revenues derived from providing the service.