to initiate a charge was connectivity. Charging networks don't profit much from selling electricity, so they're keen to ensure they can bill customers for the energy they're dispensing—as are gas stations. But while a gas station might connect all its pumps to the internet via a more robust ethernet connection, EV charging stations located far from their host's building typically rely on far less robust cellular connectivity.
Xeal chargers have no WiFi or cellular connection, nor do they require the user's phone to have a cellular signal—a great thing, since many are located deep within parking garages that can act like Faraday cages. They simply rely on nearfield communication with the phone. In addition to enhancing reliability, this makes Xeal chargers less expensive to operate, too, because they don't each need their own cellular data plan.