Norwich — Residents outside the city center have a new garbage hauler starting this week, but they might not notice the change.

City officials learned Monday that Sterling Superior Services of Franklin sold the company’s contract with the city for weekly residential garbage collection in the town consolidated district — outside the urban city center — to Willi-Waste of Willimantic, effective immediately.

Officials from both companies did not return calls Monday and Tuesday.

The city is paying $270,000 for the waste collection this fiscal year, with another roughly $5,000 for the on-demand, twice-yearly bulky waste collection, the city finance department records showed. The city’s contract with Sterling Superior was for two years from July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2014, with three one-year renewals. The contract is in the middle of its first renewal year.

Norwich Public Works Director Barry Ellison said he confirmed on Monday that the sale had taken place and was told that the move would be “seamless” for Norwich customers, including continued use of Sterling trucks at least for a time. Ellison said the only change is the phone number for residents needing to schedule bulky waste collections, allowed up to twice a year per household. Residents in the town district now should call (860) 423-4527 to schedule bulky waste pickup.

City Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll said the contract sale did not require city approval as long as terms remained the same.

Willi-Waste runs a cardboard recycling operation at the Norwich transfer station on Rogers Road.

“We’re not privy to the business details,” Ellison said. “We’ve had a good relationship with Willimantic Waste for several years.”