A location area management method and a device, the location area management method including receiving, by a single radio controller, a first request message, where the first request message is used by user equipment UE to request a location update, generating, by the single radio controller, a paging area list of the UE according to the first request message, where the paging area list includes a location area identity of a location area of at least one network standard, adding, by the single radio controller, the paging area list of the UE to a first response message, and sending the first response message to the UE.