Alternatively, a time-length for sending the preamble signal is greater than or equal to a length of P preamble signal symbols. Alternatively, the time-length for sending the preamble signal is greater than or equal to a length of P downlink signal symbols. Alternatively, the time-length for sending the preamble signal is greater than or equal to a length of Q information segments of the preamble signal symbol. P is a positive integer, and Q is a positive integer greater than or equal to 2.
Alternatively, an ending point for sending the preamble signal may be an ending point of a downlink signal symbol.
Alternatively, the time-length for sending the preamble signal is less than or equal to a length of R downlink signal symbols, where R is a positive integer, and when the time-length for sending the preamble signal is greater than or equal to a length of P downlink signal symbols, R is greater than P.
Alternatively, the P, Q, or R may be predefined, or may be sent by the network device to a terminal device through one of an RRC signaling, a physical-layer signaling, and a MAC layer signaling.