EXHBIIT 23.1
                         CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT AUDITORS

We consent to the reference to our firm under the caption "Experts" in the
Registration Statement dated December 5, 1997 and related Prospectus of BTI
Telecom Corp., for the offer to exchange its 10 1/2 Senior Notes due 2007 and
to the inclusion herein of our reports dated February 21, 1997, with respect to
the financial statements of BTI Telecom Corp. and FiberSouth, Inc. as of
December 31, 1996 and 1995 and for the three years in the period ended
December 31, 1996.


                                      /s/ Ernst & Young LLP

Raleigh, North Carolina
December 5, 1997