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                                                                    EXHIBIT 23.9
 
                        CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
 
     We have issued our report dated July 11, 1997, except for Notes 2 and 10 as
to which the date is July 24, 1997, accompanying the combined financial
statements of Cherry Communications Incorporated and Cherry Communications U.K.
Limited for each of the two years in the period ended December 31, 1996 included
in the Current Report of Form 8-K filed by World Access, Inc. on July 27, 1998,
as amended by Amendment No. 1 thereto on Form 8-K/A filed by World Access, Inc.
on September 4, 1998 and Amendment No. 2 thereto on Form 8-K/A filed by World
Access, Inc. on September 25, 1998, which are incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement of WAXS INC. on Form S-4. We consent to the incorporation
by reference of the aforementioned report in this Form S-4 and to the use of our
name as it appears under the caption "Experts."
 
                                          /s/  GRANT THORNTON LLP
 
Chicago, Illinois
October 5, 1998