From News Coulomb.

When discussing the various charging providers, I think it’s important to consider defining the various "levels" of charging providers and what those levels mean. To start laying that framework, I believe the following definitions would be a good starting point:

Level 1: A charging provider that offers billing and connectivity only. The lack of hardware support and demand charges for power result in some of the least reliable and most expensive charging sites. They are also some of the worst sites in terms of longevity.

Level 2: These charging providers offer turnkey solutions where they engineer, install, own, and operate the charging site; however, the provider purchases their charging hardware from third party manufacturers and leases access to the location through the host business or property management company. While these sites are inherently more reliable than Level 1 sites, they still suffer from reliability issues due to interoperability as well as lease terminations.

Level 3: These charging providers also offer the same turnkey solutions as Level 2 providers, with the additional aspect that they design and build their own charging hardware in-house. As a result of the provider building their own hardware, these sites are more reliable than Level 2 sites because the suffer from less downtime and fewer interoperability issues; however, these sites are still at risk of lease terminations.

Level 4: These charging providers meet all of the criteria of the other Levels; however, in addition, they also manage and own the property where the site operates. These sites will be the most reliable and have the best longevity because the site itself is in the business of serving EV owners. The sites also have a competitive advantage over any other providers operating in the same space, and the charging provider also has additional avenues for revenue, including subleasing buildings and space to other businesses.