A method for receiving hybrid automatic repeat request HARQ acknowledgement information, comprising: sending, by a network device, a first information to a user equipment, wherein the first information is information used for indicating a subframe used by the user equipment to send HARQ acknowledgement information to the network device on an unlicensed carrier; and receiving, by the network device, the HARQ acknowledgement information sent by the user equipment in the subframe indicated by the first information; wherein: after the receiving, by the network device in the subframe indicated by the first information, the HARQ acknowledgement information sent by the user equipment, the method further comprises: if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, receiving, by the network device, a notification message sent by the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the network device to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier or receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on a licensed carrier; or if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, sending, by the network device, a notification message to the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the user equipment to send the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier. sending, by a network device, a first information to a user equipment, wherein the first information is information used for indicating a subframe used by the user equipment to send HARQ acknowledgement information to the network device on an unlicensed carrier; and receiving, by the network device, the HARQ acknowledgement information sent by the user equipment in the subframe indicated by the first information; wherein: after the receiving, by the network device in the subframe indicated by the first information, the HARQ acknowledgement information sent by the user equipment, the method further comprises: if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, receiving, by the network device, a notification message sent by the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the network device to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier or receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on a licensed carrier; or if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, sending, by the network device, a notification message to the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the user equipment to send the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier. if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, receiving, by the network device, a notification message sent by the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the network device to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier or receive the HARQ acknowledgement information on a licensed carrier; or if failing to receive the HARQ acknowledgement information in the subframe indicated by the first information, sending, by the network device, a notification message to the user equipment, wherein the notification message is used to instruct the user equipment to send the HARQ acknowledgement information on another unlicensed carrier.