An Eastern Oregon Net, Inc. truck at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Chestnut Street on Tuesday, June 7, 2022. 

LA GRANDE — Ziply Fiber announced plans Tuesday, June 7, to acquire La Grande-based Eastern Oregon Net, Inc.

Financial details of the deal between the two internet providers were not announced in a press release, but the acquisition is scheduled to close later this year, pending regulatory approvals.

“Ziply Fiber is a Northwest company that’s here to simplify and elevate the connected lives of the people in the communities where we live and work. We believe that simple, easy access to fast and reliable internet is fundamentally important for families and businesses,” said Harold Zeitz, chief executive officer of Ziply Fiber. “So, when we looked around the Northwest and saw what Jeff (Crews) and Kelly (Mutch) had created, it was no surprise to us to learn that they also believe in ‘The Internet Done Right.’ Our values were aligned years before we chose to make our joining forces a reality.”

EONI, which was established in 1996, primarily serves business and residential customers in Baker, Union and Wallowa counties.

“We’re very proud of what everyone at EONI has built and accomplished over the past 26 years,” said Jeff Crews, co-founder and chief technology officer at EONI. “We’re even more excited about our future together with Ziply Fiber. Their commitment to service and to expanding access to fiber in the Northwest is unmatched and we’re proud to be joining in that effort.”

Ziply Fiber has its headquarters in Kirkland, Washington, and has major offices in Beaverton, Everett, Washington, and Hayden, Idaho.

Ziply Fiber has announced new fiber construction projects in more than 80 towns across the Northwest, including communities in Union and Wallowa counties, since it began its aggressive fiber expansion efforts in the summer of 2020.

“Our goal is to find a way to bring fiber to as many people as possible as quickly as possible, whether that’s by building, upgrading, partnering or acquiring,” Zeitz said. “We also expect that EONI’s expertise in fixed wireless will be beneficial to us as we continue to grow.”

Current EONI customers will not see any immediate changes to their service or working relationships, the release said, while the companies plan to work through operational details in the months to come.