A data transmission method includes determining, by a base station, a first phase noise compensation reference signal (PCRS) port set and a second PCRS port set in a first scheduling period, where the first PCRS port set includes at least one port used to transmit a PCRS, but the second PCRS port set does not include a port used to transmit a PCRS in the first scheduling period; determining, by the base station, a first time-frequency resource element corresponding to the at least one port used to transmit a PCRS in the first PCRS port set; if a quantity of first time-frequency resource elements is greater than or equal to 1, sending, by the base station, a PCRS to user equipment on the first time-frequency resource element; and sending, by the base station, data to the user equipment on a second time-frequency resource element corresponding to the second PCRS port set.