A carrier using method includes: receiving, by the user equipment, configuration information that is of a secondary component carrier and sent by the base station, and configuring the secondary component carrier according to the configuration information; after receiving a first activation command sent by the base station, activating the configured secondary component carrier to obtain an activated secondary component carrier, and controlling to enable a radio frequency RF module of the user equipment; receiving use right control information that is of the activated secondary component carrier and sent by the base station, and determining an available time of the activated secondary component carrier according to the use right control information; performing an operation related to the activated secondary component carrier within the available time; and stopping performing the operation related to the activated secondary component carrier after the available time is reached.