A paging failure processing method, comprising: under a condition that downlink data for a terminal device is needed to be transmitted, determining, by an access network device, that paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed; and transmitting, by the access network device, first indication information to a Core Network, CN, device, wherein the first indication information indicates that paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed; wherein the first indication information is carried in a connection release request message, and the connection release request message is used to request for releasing connection in relation to the terminal device between the CN device and the access network device; wherein, before determining, by the access network device, paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed, the method further comprises: receiving, by the access network device, second indication information transmitted by the CN device, wherein the second indication information indicates that there is downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted and does not include the downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted; and transmitting, by the access network device, a paging message to the terminal device according to the second indication information; wherein, after determining, by the access network device, paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the access network device, third indication information to the CN device, wherein the third indication information indicates that the downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted cannot be transmitted. under a condition that downlink data for a terminal device is needed to be transmitted, determining, by an access network device, that paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed; and transmitting, by the access network device, first indication information to a Core Network, CN, device, wherein the first indication information indicates that paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed; wherein the first indication information is carried in a connection release request message, and the connection release request message is used to request for releasing connection in relation to the terminal device between the CN device and the access network device; wherein, before determining, by the access network device, paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed, the method further comprises: receiving, by the access network device, second indication information transmitted by the CN device, wherein the second indication information indicates that there is downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted and does not include the downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted; and transmitting, by the access network device, a paging message to the terminal device according to the second indication information; receiving, by the access network device, second indication information transmitted by the CN device, wherein the second indication information indicates that there is downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted and does not include the downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted; and transmitting, by the access network device, a paging message to the terminal device according to the second indication information; wherein, after determining, by the access network device, paging initiated to the terminal device by the access network device failed, the method further comprises: transmitting, by the access network device, third indication information to the CN device, wherein the third indication information indicates that the downlink data for the terminal device to be transmitted cannot be transmitted.