Embodiments of the present invention relate to the communications field and disclose an access network node, a core network node, and a paging method, for use in a paging process, so as to resolve a problem that a machine to machine (M2M) service cannot be normally used because a network side cannot determine whether a coverage enhancement technology needs to be used in a paging process. In an embodiment, a communications interface is configured to receive a first packet paging message sent by a core network node; a processor determines, according to the first packet paging message received by using the communications interface, that a terminal is an M2M terminal; and a transmitter sends a coverage-enhanced second packet paging message to the terminal.