A communication method performed by a first network device, wherein the method comprises the steps of: • receiving (step 301) a first request message and uplink data from a terminal, wherein the first request message is used for requesting to resume a suspended radio resource control, RRC, connection; the method being characterized by: • sending (step 302) a second request message to a second network device based on the first request message and based on the uplink data, ∘ wherein the second network device is a network device previously having served the terminal, ∘ wherein the second request message comprises information about the uplink data of the terminal, wherein the second request message is used for requesting the second network device to release a first data channel between the second network device and a core network device, and the information about the uplink data is used by the second network device to determine whether to release the first data channel; • if it is determined by the second network device that the first data channel is to be released, receiving a first response message from the second network device, the first response message indicating that the second network device releases the first data channel, and • if it is determined by the second network device that the first data channel is to be kept and therefore not released, receiving a second response message from the second network device, the second response message indicating that the second network device keeps the first data channel. • receiving (step 301) a first request message and uplink data from a terminal, • sending (step 302) a second request message to a second network device based on the first request message and based on the uplink data, ∘ wherein the second network device is a network device previously having served the terminal, ∘ wherein the second request message comprises information about the uplink data of the terminal, wherein the second request message is used for requesting the second network device to release a first data channel between the second network device and a core network device, and the information about the uplink data is used by the second network device to determine whether to release the first data channel; ∘ wherein the second network device is a network device previously having served the terminal, ∘ wherein the second request message comprises information about the uplink data of the terminal, wherein the second request message is used for requesting the second network device to release a first data channel between the second network device and a core network device, and the information about the uplink data is used by the second network device to determine whether to release the first data channel; • if it is determined by the second network device that the first data channel is to be released, receiving a first response message from the second network device, the first response message indicating that the second network device releases the first data channel, and • if it is determined by the second network device that the first data channel is to be kept and therefore not released, receiving a second response message from the second network device, the second response message indicating that the second network device keeps the first data channel.