This application discloses a communication method and apparatus. The method includes: receiving, by a first device, a first message, where the first device is a primary access network device of a terminal device in a first state, the terminal device in the first state does not send channel state information to the first device, and a core network device and the first device reserve a data plane connection of the terminal device in the first state; determining, by the first device based on the first message, that a second device is a secondary access network device of the terminal device in the first state; sending, by the first device, a second message to the second device, where the second message is used to request to add the second device as the secondary access network device of the terminal device in the first state.