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                                                                     EXHIBIT 5.1

                               April 19, 2000


World Access, Inc.
945 E. Paces Ferry Road
Suite 2200
Atlanta, GA 30326

            Re:  World Access, Inc.
                 Registration Statement on Form S-3

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         We have acted as counsel to World Access, Inc., a Delaware corporation
(the "Company"), in connection with a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the
"Registration Statement") and the filing thereof with the Securities and
Exchange Commission for the registration of shares of common stock of the
Company owned of record by certain stockholders (the "Selling Stockholders").
Pursuant to the Registration Statement, the Company intends to register under
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, 46,600,804 shares (the "Shares") of
common stock, par value $.01 per share, of the Company.

         The opinion hereinafter set forth is given to the Company pursuant to
Item 16 of Form S-3 and Item 601(b)(5) of Regulation S-K. The only opinion
rendered by this firm consists of the matter set forth in numbered paragraph (1)
below (our "Opinion"), and no other opinion is implied or to be inferred beyond
such matter. Additionally, our Opinion is based upon and subject to the
qualifications, limitations and exceptions set forth in this letter.

         Our Opinion is furnished for the benefit of the Company solely with
regard to the Registration Statement, may be relied upon by the Company only in
connection with the Registration Statement and may not otherwise be relied upon,
used, quoted or referred to by or filed with any other person or entity without
our prior written permission.

         In rendering our Opinion, we have examined such agreements, documents,
instruments and records as we deemed necessary or appropriate under the
circumstances for us to express our Opinion, including, without limitation, the
Company's Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws, as amended, and minutes of
proceedings of the Board of Directors and stockholders of the Company. In making
all of our examinations, we assumed the genuineness of all signatures, the
authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals, the conformity to
the original documents of all documents submitted to us as copies, and the due
execution and delivery of all documents by any

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World Access, Inc.
April 19, 2000
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persons or entities where due execution and delivery by such persons or entities
is a prerequisite to the effectiveness of such documents.

         As to various factual matters that are material to our Opinion, we have
relied upon the factual statements set forth in a certificate of an officer of
the Company and a certificate of a public official. We have not independently
verified or investigated, nor do we assume any responsibility for, the factual
accuracy or completeness of such factual statements.

         Members of this firm are admitted to the Bar of the State of Georgia
and are duly qualified to practice law in that state. Because the Company is
organized under, and the subject of our Opinion therefore is governed by, the
General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (the "Delaware Code"), we do
not herein express any opinion concerning any matter respecting or affected by
any laws other than the laws set forth in the Delaware Code that are now in
effect and that, in the exercise of reasonable professional judgment, are
normally considered in transactions such as the offering and sale of the Shares
as set forth in the Registration Statement. The Opinion hereinafter set forth is
based upon pertinent laws and facts in existence as of the date hereof, and we
expressly disclaim any obligation to advise you of changes to such pertinent
laws or facts that hereafter may come to our attention.

         Based upon and subject to the foregoing, we are of the Opinion that:

         (1)      The Shares are validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

         We hereby consent to the filing of this letter as an exhibit to the
Registration Statement and to the reference to our name under the caption "Legal
Matters" in the Registration Statement. This opinion supercedes our opinion
originally filed as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement on March 30, 2000.

                                           Very truly yours,

                                           LONG ALDRIDGE & NORMAN LLP


                                           By: /s/ LEONARD A. SILVERSTEIN
                                              ---------------------------------
                                              Leonard A. Silverstein