No, you don't need any specific hardware or software for this service. You have to need only your browser and Web access. Some older browsers use 40-bit encryption but for the highest security reasons, you must use 128-bit encryption to access the site. 

When you complete the process of submitting the enrollment form and replied to the activation email, Instantly your service will start. Then you can access the service to pay your current bill or view your past bills. Within a month or so you should start receiving information about an E-Bill notification, depending upon the billing cycle. 

 It depends on billers because some billers stop sending a copy of paper bills and only send an E-Bill to the consumer's E-Bill payment account but some billers send continuously paper bills through the U.S. mail as well as the E-Bill.  

Yes, you can view your paid E-Bills by looking at "Search and Pay my Bills". Almost for six to twelve months, E-Bills will be available on the site. If you want to keep long-term records then you can print your bill by using your browser's print function.