A communication method relates to a paging mechanism applied for a radio access network, including: a centralized unit sends a paging message to a distributed unit, where the paging message carries indication information indicates that the paging is paging originated from a core network or the paging is paging originated from a radio access network; and the distributed unit determines, according to the indication information, that the paging is paging originated from the core network or the paging is paging originated from the radio access network.