This application provides a data transmission method. The method includes: An electronic device first establishes an MPTCP connection to an application server, where the MPTCP connection includes two TCP connections. Then, the electronic device receives indication information from an application server, where the indication information includes a type identifier and a parameter. When the type identifier indicates a low data transmission delay requirement, the electronic device receives, in a first time period after the electronic device receives the indication information, the data stream by using a first TCP connection. When an accumulated data amount actually received by the electronic device in the first time period is less than a product of the parameter and duration corresponding to the first time period, the electronic device receives the data stream in a second time period by using both the two TCP connections.