The invention discloses a network capacity expansion method and device, relates to the technical field of communication, and the network capacity expansion method and device are used for accurately and reasonably performing network capacity expansion on access network equipment, ensuring user experience and avoiding resource waste caused by blind network capacity expansion. The method comprises the following steps: determining a first reference value, wherein the first reference value is used for indicating the maximum number of users establishing connection with the access network equipment;wherein the first reference value is determined by a first parameter, a second parameter and a third parameter; wherein the first parameter is used for indicating a ratio of the first user number to the second user number; wherein the first user number is used for indicating the number of users performing data service with the access network equipment, the second user number is used for indicatingthe number of users establishing connection with the access network equipment, the second parameter is used for indicating the network transmission rate required by a single user, and the third parameter is used for indicating the network transmission rate provided by the access network equipment; and determining whether to perform network expansion on the access network equipment according to the user connection number of the access network equipment and the first reference value.