Communication Method and Device

A method, comprising:

• determining, by a core network device, a first cycle based on non-access stratum (NAS) timing information, wherein the first cycle is a maximum extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle that is allowed to be configured for a first terminal device, and the first cycle is able to be used by the first terminal device in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state;
• sending, by the core network device, an initial context setup request message to an access network device in a registration process of the first terminal device, wherein the initial context setup request message comprises context information of the first terminal device, and the initial context setup request message further comprises information of the first cycle;
• receiving, by the access network device, the initial context setup request message, and determining a second cycle based on the information of the first cycle carried in the initial context setup request message, wherein the second cycle is an eDRX cycle configured for the first terminal device, the second cycle is able to be used by the first terminal device in the RRC inactive state, and a length of the second cycle is less than or equal to a length of the first cycle;
• sending, by the access network device, an initial context setup response message to the core network device, wherein the initial context setup response message comprises information of the second cycle;
• starting, by the access network device, an RRC connection release timer when the first terminal device completes registration and the access network device does not detect data transmission of the first terminal device;
• when the RRC connection release timer expires, sending, by the access network device, an RRC connection release message to the first terminal device, wherein the RRC connection release message comprises the information of the second cycle;
• and
• when the first terminal device is in the RRC inactive state, monitoring, by the first terminal device, paging according to the second cycle.

A method, comprising:

• receiving, by an access network device, a first message from a core network device, wherein the first message comprises information of a first cycle, the first cycle is a maximum extended discontinuous reception (eDRX) cycle that is allowed to be configured for a first terminal device, and the first cycle is able to be used by the first terminal device in a radio resource control (RRC) inactive state;
• determining, by the access network device, a second cycle based on the first cycle, wherein the second cycle is an eDRX cycle configured for the first terminal device, the second cycle is able to be used by the first terminal device in RRC inactive state, and a length of the second cycle is less than or equal to a length of the first cycle;
• and
• sending, by the access network device, a second message to the core network device, wherein the second message comprises information of the second cycle.