SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY
                                     L.L.P.
                               Counsellors at Law
                             Two Renaissance Squire
                      40 North Central Avenue, Suite 2700
                             Phoenix, Arizona 85004

Telephone (602) 528-4000
Telecopier (602) 253-8129



                               September 30, 1998



VIA EDGAR

U.S. Shares and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20549


     RE:  Wavetech International, Inc.


Dear Ladies and Gentlemen:

     This firm is counsel for Wavetech International, Inc., a Nevada corporation
(the "Company"). As such, we are familiar with the Articles of Incorporation, as
amended,  and Bylaws of the Company, as well as resolutions adopted by its Board
of  Directors  authorizing  the  issuance  and sale of an aggregate of 4,456,921
shares  of the  Company's  $.001  par  value  Common  Stock  (collectively,  the
"Shares"),  currently  outstanding  or issuable  upon  exercise  of  outstanding
warrants and conversion of 600 shares of the Company's  Series A Preferred Stock
(such warrants and Preferred Stock referred to as the "Convertible Securities"),
which are the subject of a Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration
Statement")  under the  Securities  Act of 1933,  as  amended.  We have acted as
counsel for the Company with respect to certain  matters in connection  with the
registration for resale of the Shares and in preparation of the required filings
with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  In addition, we have examined such
documents  and  undertaken  such further  inquiry as we consider  necessary  for
rendering the opinions hereinafter set forth below:

     Based upon the foregoing,  it is our opinion that the Shares,  are, or will
be upon  issuance in accordance  with the  respective  terms of the  Convertible
Securities, validly issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

     We acknowledge that we are referred to under the heading "Legal Matters" in
the  Prospectus  , which is part of the  Registration  Statement,  and we hereby
consent  to the use of our  name  in such  Registration  Statement.  We  further



U.S. Shares and Exchange Commission                           September 30, 1998
Page 2


consent  to the  filing  of this  opinion  as  Exhibit  5.1 to the  Registration
Statement and with the state  regulatory  agencies in such states as may require
such filing in connection with the registration of the Shares for offer and Sale
in such states.


                                      Respectfully Submitted,

                                      /s/ Squire, Sanders & Dempsey L.L.P.

                                      SQUIRE, SANDERS & DEMPSEY L.L.P.


Copy: Gerald I. Quinn
      Lydia Montoya
      Christopher D. Johnson, Esq.