Communication method, terminal device, and access-network device

The embodiments of the present application provide a communication method, terminal device, and access-network device, said method comprising: a terminal device in a first state determining that a paging area of said terminal device has changed; the terminal device sending a first message to a first access-network device, said first message being used for notifying the first access-network device that the paging area of the terminal device has changed; the terminal device receiving a second message send by the first access-network device according to the first message; according to the second message, the terminal device determining a state in which the terminal device must be; when the terminal device determines the required second state, the terminal device entering the second state according to the stored connection context information. The embodiments of the present application reduce signaling overhead.