For example, the network device configures that a frequency domain position of a control-resource set associated with the common search space is in a bandwidth part (BWP for short). Indexes of resource blocks (RB for short) included in the bandwidth part are consecutive RB index values: {RB 3, RB 4, RB 5 . . . , RB 18, RB 19, RB 20}; and indexes of RBs included in the control-resource set are {RB 6, RB 7, RB 8, . . . , RB 15, RB 16, RB 17}. A smallest value of the indexes of the RBs included in the control-resource set is the RB 6, the terminal device detects downlink control information in the common search space. A start RB index that is of a frequency domain area of an uplink or downlink shared channel and that is indicated by the downlink control information is the RB 6. The foregoing RB indexes are RB indexes in a common index area. The smallest RB index in frequency domain may be indicated by the downlink control information.