COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS

This application relates to a communication method and apparatus. A first network device receives first information from a second terminal device or a third network device, where the first information includes an identifier of a first terminal device, and the third network device is a network device on which the second terminal device camps. The first network device sends the identifier of the first terminal device to a second network device, where the identifier of the first terminal device is used to determine whether the first terminal device is authorized to provide a relay service. The first network device receives second information from the second network device, where the second information is used to indicate that the first terminal device is authorized to provide a relay service, or indicate that the first terminal device is not authorized to provide a relay service. Even if the first terminal device is in an RRC non-connected state, the first network device may determine, by using the second network device, whether the first terminal device is authorized to provide a relay service, so that a network access success rate of the second terminal device can be improved.