connecting outlook via VPN takes a long time

Hi

From home I log on to our VPN server at work without problems.
However when I start outlook it will take quite a long time to get it connected (3-5) minutes.
Once connected it works fine.
The same applies when I go to public folders (but not every time), it can take a similar time to get the public folder displayed.
Again once connected it works fine.

At home I have windows XP with a belkin router . My broadband speed is about 1.8MB
My inbox size is normally small.
At work we have a w2k vpn server (PPTP)with an 2003 exchange server on a W2k03 domain.