AT&T; has 18,000 TV subscribers

AT&T; Inc., the largest U.S. phone company, said it had 18,000 video subscribers to its U-verse television service, a sixfold increase from last year, as it battled cable providers.

The company is connecting homes to the television service at a rate of 2,000 per week, it said. U-verse TV will debut in the Los Angeles area in the coming weeks, San Antonio-based AT&T; said.

AT&T; is offering TV service to fend off cable companies selling home-phone lines in addition to video and Internet. The company is selling the service in 15 markets, including Milwaukee, Houston, San Antonio and Kansas City, Mo.