Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications technologies and disclose an information obtaining method and apparatus based on an unlicensed cell (Uscell). On an unlicensed cell, precision of obtained Uscell information is significantly improved, so as to enable a base station to complete addition and deletion of a Uscell. A specific embodiment of the present invention includes: obtaining detection indication information, where the detection indication information is used to instruct to identify a Uscell and/or instruct to measure a reference signal corresponding to the Uscell, then, performing detection according to the detection indication information, and reporting a detection result to a base station. Technical solutions provided in the present invention are mainly applied to an information obtaining process of the Uscell.