This application provides a communication method and an apparatus. The method includes: receiving a configuration message, where the configuration message includes a configuration parameter of one or more cells, the cells include a first cell, and the first cell is a cell with only an uplink receiving capability; sending a first signal at a first moment via the first cell, where the first moment is related to first downlink timing, the first downlink timing is downlink timing of a second cell associated with the first cell, and the second cell is a cell with an uplink receiving capability and a downlink sending capability; and receiving a first response message of the first cell via the second cell, where the first response message includes a first timing advance (TA) value of the first cell.