It went on to explain that customers who use electronic bill-paying services would need to provide merchants with their new account numbers.

Surveys have found that bill-paying services are popular among those who have tried them and have become comfortable with the mechanics of the process.

Some major features have been left out, including a working link to Check Free, a popular electronic bill-paying service.

The account provides unlimited checking (with no minimum check amount), and also offers an automated bill-paying service.

For an additional $4 a month, it provides a bill-paying service.

For an additional $4 a month, Fidelity will provide a bill-paying service, which had been free.

Its on-line bill-paying service will start later this year.

U.S. Order, like most bill-paying services, is not fully automatic.

And although banks and bill-paying services are working on ways to share information, few arrangements have been set up.

Aggregators and banks say they are trying to make it easier for people to use bill-paying services.