1 EXHIBIT 99 WORLD ACCESS TENDERS FOR 13.25% SENIOR NOTES ATLANTA, GEORGIA - January 2, 2001 - World Access, Inc. (Nasdaq: WAXS) announced today that it is launching a cash tender for up to $161,357,000 aggregate principal amount of the Company's outstanding 13.25% Senior Notes Due 2008 at a price of $991.59 per $1000 principal amount of any Notes purchased. The Tender Offer is being made pursuant to the Indenture, dated December 7, 1999, for the 13.25% Senior Notes, which requires World Access to use certain cash proceeds from certain asset sales to tender for outstanding Senior Notes. The tender, which commenced with the mailing of an Offer to Purchase to noteholders today, will expire at 5:00 p.m. on March 1, 2001. ABOUT WORLD ACCESS World Access is focused on being a leading provider of bundled voice, data and Internet services to small- to medium-sized business customers located throughout Europe. In order to accelerate its progress toward a leadership position in Europe, World Access is acting as a consolidator for the highly fragmented retail telecom services market, with the objective of amassing a substantial and fully integrated business customer base. To date, the Company has acquired several strategic assets, including Facilicom International, which operates a Pan-European long distance network and carries traffic for approximately 200 carrier customers, and NETnet, with retail sales operations in 9 European countries. NETnet's services include long distance, Internet access and mobile services. Located strategically throughout the United States and 13 European countries, World Access provides end-to-end international communication services over an advanced asynchronous transfer mode internal network that includes gateway and tandem switches, an extensive fiber network encompassing tens of millions of circuit miles and satellite facilities. For additional information regarding World Access, please refer to the Company's website at www.waxs.com. THIS PRESS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS OR OTHER FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS MADE PURSUANT TO THE SAFE HARBOR PROVISIONS OF THE SECURITIES REFORM ACT OF 1995. SUCH STATEMENTS INVOLVE RISKS AND UNCERTAINTIES WHICH MAY CAUSE ACTUAL RESULTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY. THESE RISKS INCLUDE: POTENTIAL INABILITY TO IDENTIFY, COMPLETE AND INTEGRATE ACQUISITIONS; DIFFICULTIES IN EXPANDING INTO NEW BUSINESS ACTIVITIES; DELAYS IN NEW SERVICE OFFERINGS; THE POTENTIAL TERMINATION OF CERTAIN SERVICE AGREEMENTS OR THE INABILITY TO ENTER INTO ADDITIONAL SERVICE AGREEMENTS; AND OTHER RISKS DESCRIBED IN THE COMPANY'S SEC FILINGS, INCLUDING THE COMPANY'S ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999, AS AMENDED, THE COMPANY'S QUARTERLY REPORTS ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTERS ENDED MARCH 31, 2000 AND JUNE 30, 2000, AS AMENDED, THE COMPANY'S QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q FOR THE QUARTER ENDED SEPTEMBER 30, 2000, AND THE COMPANY'S REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORMS S-3 (NO. 333-79097) AND S-4 (NO. 333-37750 AND 333-44864), ALL OF WHICH ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE INTO THIS PRESS RELEASE. WORLD ACCESS CONTACT: MICHELE WOLF (404-231-2025) V.P. OF INVESTOR RELATIONS HTTP://WWW.WAXS.COM