Random Access Method and Apparatus

Abstract

A random access method and apparatus to increase an opportunity of performing physical random access channel (PRACH) access, where the method includes receiving, by a terminal, information about a PRACH time window from a base station, where the information about the PRACH time window carries a size of the PRACH time window, preempting, by the terminal, an unlicensed carrier on which a PRACH resource is configured, and performing, by the terminal before the size of the PRACH time window is exceeded, .PRACH access on the successfully preempted unlicensed carrier on which the PRACH resource is configured. Therefore, by configuring the PRACH time window, the terminal has more opportunities to preempt the unlicensed carrier on which the PRACH resource is configured, greatly improving a PRACH access success rate.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.