Communication method and device for supporting low-rate user terminal

The invention discloses a communication method and a communication device for supporting a low-rate user terminal. The method comprises the following steps of: allocating different monitoring periods for each previously allocated user group, wherein the user group comprises at least one user terminal; allocating an air interface resource to a user terminal in the user group in the current monitoring period; and performing data transmission by using the air interface resource and the user terminal in the user group in the current monitoring period. By grouping a large number of user terminals,the system resource can be grouped and allocated to the user terminals of each group in a time multiplexing mode; and therefore, the method and the device improve the utilization ratio of the system resource, support to provide services for a greater number of user terminals and reduce the processing load and the energy consumption of the user terminal.