To earn the privilege of giving Comcast $80 every month, I need to drive across Orlando to a payment center and show them my driver’s license.

This was the news delivered to me on Monday morning by telephone by someone trying to process my move order from old house to new house. They are not able to process my order for new TV and high-speed Internet service until I get in my car, drive 19 miles down I-4, show them my drivers license, then get back in my car and drive back home. At that point they would be happy to schedule an installer to come to the house and hook up my service. I was offered no other possible remedies, despite pointing out several times that this was an undue burden for opening an account. Can I fax a copy of my drivers license? No.

The reason I was given is that the previous occupants of this home have an outstanding balance. This is not my problem.

With DSL for Internet and satellite for TV being perfectly acceptable substitutes for a coax cable, does Comcast really want to be throwing up barriers to signup?

I’ve engaged @ComcastCares and @ComcastWill, and while they’ve been responsive, I’m still looking for a call or email that can give me a yes or no as to whether Comcast would like me as a customer. The only reason I’ve waited 2 days so far is that I own a cable modem I’m really happy with!

Update Wed, 05/16/2012: Carlos, from Comcast in Orlando, called and we spoke for several minutes. He wanted to understand what the issue was and get things moving. I expressed my desire to order service. He said he’d check with dispatch and get back to me first thing in the morning.
Update Thurs, 05/17/2012: No call from Carlos today.
Update Fri, 05/18/2012: In the morning sent an email to We Can Help email address at Comcast, based on a tweet from a Comcast rep, explaining the situation. In the afternoon received an automated call this afternoon that a Comcast technician would be at my house tomorrow, Saturday, between 10am and noon. Unsure if appointment is for TV or TV+Internet.
Update Sat, 05/19/2012: Technician was a no-call/no-show. Called Comcast at 12:45p, navigated phone tree to place where it says to push 5 if a tech missed an appointment. Received message that call volumes are very high, wasn’t given an option to hold, was then disconnected.

The quest to give Comcast money continues…