Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of communications, and provide a positioning method, apparatus, and system, so as to improve positioning precision. The method includes: determining, by a server, a positioning measurement parameter, and generating measurement configuration information carrying the positioning measurement parameter, where the positioning measurement parameter is a parameter that the server requests a terminal to measure and is used to position the terminal; sending, by the server, the measurement configuration information to the terminal through a base station; receiving, by the server through the base station, configuration response information returned by the terminal, where the configuration response information carries a positioning response parameter, and the positioning response parameter is a measurement result generated after the terminal measures the positioning measurement parameter; and positioning, by the server, the terminal according to the positioning response parameter carried in the configuration response information.